Mississippi cattle farmers facing high production costs

 Brandi Karisch, beef specialist with the Mississippi State College Extension Service, mentioned beef manufacturing is a major factor of the state’s agricultural financial system, with a complete estimated worth of $318 million in 2022.

 “Mississippi producers face comparable challenges to these in lots of different states, as prices for feed, gas and fertilizer for pastures proceed to be excessive or rise,” Karisch mentioned.

 Rocky Lemus, Extension forage specialist, mentioned the state’s beef trade is supported by the two.6 million acres of forage manufacturing throughout the state, together with about 600,000 acres in hay manufacturing.

 “Though forage ought to be the muse of livestock manufacturing, some limitations resembling restricted rotational grazing and farm forage diversification require hay supplementation for 90 to 110 days within the yr,” Lemus mentioned.

 This demand from the meat cattle trade places pressures on the state’s pastures to supply ample, high-quality forage. Lemus mentioned producers can cut back the necessity for supplementation in the event that they implement extra environment friendly rotational grazing methods fairly than overgrazing and permitting weeds to grow to be a barrier to forage utilization and return.

 “Pasture value has elevated by 20% to 30% within the final 5 years because of the improve in fertilizer prices,” Lemus mentioned. “We can not afford to proceed including fertilizers based mostly on guesses. Begin with a soil pattern to find out pH and nutrient ranges, and add fertilizer based mostly on these suggestions.

 “This yr, we’re seeing a decline in fertilizer costs, and producers ought to make the most of this value discount to develop a nutrient administration plan that’s environment friendly and sustainable,” he mentioned.

 The MSU Forage Extension Program works intently with county Extension places of work throughout the state to supply instruments and suggestions for producers.

 “Our targets and goals are to assist producers to be extra sustainable by growing grazing and nutrient administration plans that might improve forage high quality and manufacturing,” Lemus mentioned.

 The laborious freeze of December and the freeze in early March impacted cool-season annual grasses, resembling oats, and brought about a delay within the alternative to graze annual ryegrass.

 “We in all probability misplaced 4 to 6 weeks of grazing potential because of these circumstances,” Lemus mentioned. “We predict decrease hay yield this summer time season and the hay stock to stay tight because of these circumstances.”

 Mississippi has slightly below 16,000 particular person beef cattle operations within the state. Karisch mentioned that, as of Jan. 1, these producers had 860,000 head of cattle, together with 478,000 beef cows and 91,000 beef cow replacements. Scott, Jones, Tate, Hinds and Walthall counties lead the state with the variety of beef cattle.

 State cattle producers are closely concerned in stocker cattle manufacturing, elevating greater than 400,000 head of stocker cattle within the state annually.

 “Now we have famous a decline in cattle numbers the previous few years because of many elements, and that is mirrored within the decreased variety of beef cows discovered this yr in comparison with final,” Karisch mentioned.

 There’s a massive and rising group of customers who search domestically raised beef and are prepared to pay a premium for meat merchandise from a identified supply. Karisch mentioned farmers markets and social media teams are nice methods to attach with native farmers and study the place meals comes from.

 “Cattle producers provide domestically raised beef in all elements of the state,” she mentioned. “There are a large number of choices for customers to purchase a half or complete beef or bundles and particular person cuts.

“Many producers are looking for out USDA-inspected amenities with particular person labels that permit them to market to customers who won’t have the freezer house or money circulate for buying an entire or half beef,” Karisch mentioned.