Drought impacts reduce beef cow numbers to lowest since 2014

Drought (level D2 to D4) now occupies 37% of the Western US. The impact on the US cattle numbers is staggering. US cow herd drop 2% in the last USDA report, but many analysts believe the cow and heifer slaughter numbers year to date are up 14% from the same time in 2021 and 27% larger than the five-year average indicating that the true cattle numbers in the US are much lower. Impacting these numbers are lack of livestock water and feed as well as grasshoppers in our local areas.

For grasshopper control, there is value in controlling adult grasshoppers in the fall. Hoppers are currently laying...