News

A shifting cattle herd

A cow-calf producer in central Missouri says he’s expecting a shift in cattle herds across the state later this year.

David Dick from Pettis County says herds will likely get younger heading into fall and winter.

“The market is right and you’ll be able to market some of these older cows. In turn, I think they will hold their value, because they’ll still have a calf in them. I think some farmers will take them home and calve them, because they’ll have plenty of hay.”

Dick says the more established cattle producers are selling calves and thinking about keeping heifers back. Dick says he changes 20 percent of his cattle herd each year.

“Good, bad or indifferent, it doesn’t matter,” he says. “If I have a really good cow, I’ll probably keep her too long, but for the most part, I want to keep a younger cattle herd.”

Dick says it’s still too soon to talk about widespread herd expansion. He says it’s especially difficult for young producers right now.

“We’re in a cash and carry market. There were some cows at Kingsville a few weeks ago that brought more than $5,000. That’s not a way to get started back if you’re getting out of high school or college.”