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Brad Haire: Welcome to In the Field.
I’m Brad Haire with the University of Georgia
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
I’m here today with Dr. Curt Lacy. He’s the Livestock Economist with
UGA Cooperative Extension.
Hey Dr. Lacy.
Curt Lacy: Hey Brad.
Haire: Thanks for joining me today. Lacy: Glad to be here.
Haire: Cattle prices are riding somewhat of a high, similar to row crops.
What are cattle prices right now Dr. Lacy?
Lacy: Cattle prices are pretty good Brad.
We set some historical highs back earlier in the year,
in the spring; of course, they’ve backed off since then
which is typically what we’ll see in the fall.
But still, prices are very good for most cattlemen.
There's some, where 500 to 600 pound calves in
Georgia last week – steer calves, were $1.25, $1.30 a pound last week.
So, most cattlemen are fairly pleased with those prices today.
Haire: I know you get a lot of calls from producers and growers wanting
to know or have a little glimpse into your crystal ball.
What are telling them right now they could be thinking about?
Take advantage of the prices now, maybe even next year.
Lacy: Well, actually we’re in a pretty good situation in
the cattle business, in the beef cattle business,
at least from a price standpoint.
Of course, it’s dry and we’re short on hay, those types of things;
but from a price standpoint, we’re in pretty good shape.
Supplies are pretty tight and we’re actually looking at
some good prices next year.
As a matter of fact, if cattlemen wanted to today and they were in a
position to market truckload lots with feeder cattle futures where
they are on the board, they could be looking at
anywhere $1.40, $1.50 for calf prices next summer, today.
So, if they were of a mind to, they could go ahead and
lock in some of those prices.
Haire: Dr. Lacy, you and some of your colleagues from around the
southeast recently developed a web site as a
risk management tool for cattle producers.
What is that web site? Tell me a little bit about it.
Lacy: The web site is the Southeast Cattle Advisor web site,
www.secattleadvisor.com.
It was assembled by the University of Georgia,
Auburn University, University of Florida
and Clemson University.
It’s a collaborative effort between all 4 of us land grant universities.
It’s a one stop shop for cattle producers to go there and get
information related to risk management.
They can get everything from their local cash cattle prices;
what’s happening in the futures market
– not only with cattle but also with some of the different feedstuffs;
they can get local feed prices or regional feed prices,
as well as hay prices and fertilizer prices.
One of the more useful things that people can get there as well are
just some of the decision aids and budgets that we have there.
They can get electronic budgets for beef cattle as well as forages.
They can also get some decision aid tools like ration evaluators
and other types of software that we’ve developed over the years.
All of those are available at that web site.
Haire: It’s a good tool.
Do you want to give out that web site one more time?
Lacy: Sure. The web site is www.secattleadvisor.com.
Haire: Nice.
Until next time, take care, give thanks and good luck.
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