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Emergency grazing plan critical to Missouri cattlemen’s operation this year

A Southeast Missouri cow/calf operator says this year’s drought has been devastating for a lot of producers in his state.  Charlie Besher tells Brownfield they’re selling off their herds and having to buy expensive hay.  

He says he sees the impact of the drought every week at his local sale barn.  “On an average week you’ve probably got three or four producers in a small area that are selling out,” he says.  “They can’t afford to pay the price people are wanting for the hay and they have no available forage to feed them and we don’t want the animals to sit out there and starve to death.”

Besher says he’s been fortunate so far this year.  “We have a grazing management plan in place,” he says.  “Part of our contingency in there is drought.  We have a very conservative stocking rate.  We’re fairing fairly well right now thanks to our grazing management plan and our emergency practices. 

According to the latest drought monitor 95 percent of Missouri was in some stage of drought.

Besher is secretary of Missouri Cattlemen’s and also chairs the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Property Rights and Environmental Management (PREM) Committee.

AUDIO: Charlie Besher, Missouri Cattlemen’s