Georgia Cattle Market Information for the Week Ended June 15, 2007

Weather and Crop Conditions
Pasture conditions improved in parts of Georgia this past week as several lines of thunderstorms brought some much needed relief. However, much of the state and the Southeastern U.S. is still in a very desperate situation as it relates to moisture.

According to the latest USDA Crop Progress Report, 64% of Georgia pastures were rated in Poor-Very Poor condition. Generally speaking, pasture conditions are best in the east-southeast part of the state and deteriorate as you go west and north. Florida pasture conditions improved last week as 55% of Florida pastures are now rated as Poor-Very Poor and 40% as fair.

In the Southeast, the drought has expanded or moved (depending on your location). According to the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM), MS, AL, GA and TN now have some part of their respective states rated as D4 (Exceptional) drought. D4 is the most severe rating for drought conditions in the USDM. In Alabama, 85% of pastures were rated as Poor-Very Poor and in Tennessee, 67% of pastures were rated as Poor-Very Poor.

Nationwide, California had the worst pasture conditions in the country as 95% of their pastures were rated as Poor-Very Poor.


Weekly Market Report
Cattle receipts at 25 markets 13,590 compared to 16,215 last week and 12,934 year ago. Compared to one week ago, slaughter cows 1.00 to 3.00 lower, bulls steady to 3.00 lower, feeder steers and heifers steady to 3.00 lower, steer calves 1.00 to 3.00 lower, heifer calves 2.00 to 4.00 lower, replacement cows steady to 3.00 lower. It appears that much of the “drought-run” is over-for now. This week, cattle marketings were only 700 more than the same week last year. However, for the year, total cattle marketings continue running almost 18% more than where they were compared to 2006. Year to date, total cattle marketings are 296,500 vs. 251,400 for the same period in 2006 (Figure 1).

Slaughter cow marketings continue to run considerably above last year. Year to date slaughter cow marketings are up more than 16,000 head compared to year ago totals. Through Week 23 of 2007, almost 44,000 slaughter cows have been marketed in Georgia versus 27,500+ for the same period last year. However, sale barn reports indicate that last week, most of the cull cow marketings were north of I-16 which is the area currently most affected by the drought.