Spring is on the way according to the majority of North America’s famous ground hogs and I’ll bet that everyone who lambasted this week’s cold and winter storms will grab on to that hope, however distant it seemed on the day!
We’ve been a little whiney about the cold temperatures here but the reality is that it’s not much to take compared to Australia’s floods, fires and impending cyclone, or the crazy winter storms and nutty weather seen elsewhere (on the television).
News from cattle market analysts earlier this week provided a very startling statistic (U.S. Dept. of Agriculture/biennial report) estimating that there are far fewer numbers of replacement heifers than originally forecast.
They put the total at 5.158 million; a five per cent drop from a year ago, which adds up to the “smallest U.S. beef cow-herd since strict ‘beef cow’ inventories began being published in 1965.”
Ken Goldman, a J.P. Morgan analyst, called the report bullish for cattle prices in long the run as, “Beef prices already are struggling to keep up with cattle prices, and this report, if it sends cattle prices even higher on lower supply than anticipated, may exacerbate the situation. We thus interpret the data as incrementally negative for packers such as Tyson, which buy cattle and sell beef.”
Want to find out what’s happening in the B.C./Cariboo cattle industry?
Then plan to attend tomorrow’s (Feb. 4) annual general meeting of the Cariboo Cattlemen’s Association, beginning at 11 a.m. at the Pioneer Complex on Hodgson Road. Plug in your vehicle tonight!
On the agenda for 11:30 a.m. are MP Dick Harris and MLAs Donna Barnett and Bob Simpson, who will all speak briefly.
Then you may have the opportunity to talk directly with them during the lunch hour.
The keynote address after lunch is a presentation called “Cowboys Go to China” by Prince George rancher/cattleman Mark Grafton about his recent beef/trade/visit to China.
Many other topics and issues will be addressed.
See you there!
