Idaho Cattle Producers Appear Well Positioned For Dry Conditions

This has summer hasn’t been hotter than normal, but it has been dryer than normal.  And that means a lot of the forage across the three states has dried out. 

Despite that, Cameron Mulrony, Vice President of the Idaho Cattle Association, said many producers are well positioned.  He said the key to having success when conditions are this dry, having solid management tools.

“A lot of the folks that have been through the drought conditions or dry periods in the past, they know how to manage their landscape in order to keep those cattle healthy and heavy coming into fall. But you know, more supplement, maybe, or moving pastures a little quicker coming back rotations.”

What About Producers That Need To Buy Feed?

For those that need to turn to hay, Mulrony said alfalfa prices are looking fairly reasonable at this point.

“Because the cattle numbers are low, there's a little less demand on some of those feed stuffs. Also we've learned back when feed prices went high, how to utilize some of those other products in our feed rations, which then relieve some of the pressure when we get into one of these times," Mulrony said.  "So I think they're going to be affordable where they need to be. We understand our producers of those forages also need to make money, but I don't think they're like we were, you know, four or five years ago where it was basically some of the folks were just having to get out of the business because they couldn't afford the feed price.”

Many cattle producers are also turning to additional corn, because of the low price of that commodity.

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