Published: November 11, 2006 10:11 pm         

Drought affects area cattle

Drought conditions throughout Oklahoma have caused varied problems for area cattle ranchers, but most can be attributed to the lack of rain.

“It’s just gotta rain,” said Greg Highfill, area extension livestock specialist for the Garfield County Oklahoma State University Extension Office said.

Highfill said lower forage feed production and lower hay production because of the lack of rain during the year will increase the cost of operation for ranchers.

He said area ranchers depend heavily upon hay production.

“They are all highly dependent on hay production,” Highfill said. “They’re going to have to pay for high-, high-priced hay.”

According to data from Oklahoma Climatological Survey, the state overall is 12.72 inches below normal for rainfall for the past year, the fifth-driest period since 1921, when records began being kept.

The north central division, which includes Garfield, Alfalfa, Grant, Kay, Major, Noble, Woods and Woodward counties, is 14.82 inches below normal. It was the third-driest period since record keeping began.

In the past 12 months, there has been 16.83 inches of recorded rainfall in the north central division.

Highfill said farm ponds have been drying up, causing another problem for ranchers.

“Pond water is a huge issue,” Highfill said, noting the lack of rain the past 60 to 80 days. Providing enough water for cattle herds is another cost-increasing venture, he said.

He said some ponds are feet below normal levels and others have completely dried out.

Highfill said some ranchers began to liquidate some of their herds in the fall, after months of drought conditions on the plains.

“They’re going to have to increase production costs due to the drought,” he said of Oklahoma ranchers. “I’m hoping normal rainfall patterns take over and life is good again.”