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Just a scoop full
(August 1)--August fat cattle futures have finally gained a little bit of strength in price. Hopefully, now we might be able to finally get away from that $90 per hundredweight fat cattle level. It appears that most every time we get very much momentum going in the cattle market--packers or big corporations sell the futures very hard for one day, taking away most of our aggressiveness. I'm sure it looks different from their angle. But it definitely seems frustrating from ours. I am just glad that I've had some feeders to sell at these higher prices. I hope these cattle going in the feedlots make money. They are buying them at such levels, that they are going to have to bring a lot as fat cattle. We need all the cattle feeders we have got, buying feeders in order to keep it a supply and demand market. That is our only salvation. If we ever get to where three or four outfits buy all the feeder cattle--we will not like the outcome. Only a limited amount of feeder cattle are showing up at the auction. If the cattle futures are accurate there is not much hurry in marketing your feeders. I see some ranchers selling their feeder cattle a little earlier than planned, taking advantage of this higher feeder market. It never hurts to take a profit. I have had a few tell me that I am too outspoken. That perhaps it would be better if I would simply blend in and not make any waves. That's what's wrong with this cattle business today. We have too many that act like politicians and simply say what they think others want to hear. If you do not have the guts to say what you think then you are a coward. I strongly believe in the next few years that cattlemen are going to have to fight for themselves in order to survive. We cannot let our industry end up like the chickens and the hogs. I have heard others say--it is going to end up that way anyway. That is true if we are all going to be defeated before we ever get started. Lets all take enough pride in our industry that we do everything possible to keep the cattle industry in individual hands and allow the next generation to enjoy the same things as we have. Editor's note: Jerry Nine, Woodward, Okla., is a lifetime cattleman who grew up on his family's ranch near Laverne, Okla.
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