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Beef Production
Since last fall, the beef cattle market has improved, Thornhill said. He maintained that prices would be even higher now if the weather had cooperated with warmer temperatures to produce lush pastures earlier. At the Culpeper heifer sale three weeks ago, stock brought an average of four cents a pound less than last year at the same time, he noted. He didn’t see that trend as continuing, however. “Cattle would be bringing higher prices if the grass bad come in earlier.”
Thornhill’s forecast parallels that of Virginia Tech’s agricultural experts. VP I animal scientist K.C. Williamson believes thatVirginia cattle producers should havft a, slightly better year in 1984 • than they did- in 1983. The market was triflutficed' “ when beef cattle producers were forced to reduce their herds last fall because of the drought and high cost of feed. With some decrease in beef production as the result and with very little increase in the supply of competing meats coupled with consumer income increases, there should be a modest increase in fed cattle prices above 1983 levels, Williamson said.
Assuming feed prices remain stable or drop slightly, feeder calves and yearlings should sell above fed cattle prices throughout the year. “With some sustained improvement in fed and feeder cattle prices, producers will probably retain more heifers for herd building and cull fewer cows. This would reduce beef supplies even further in the latter part of 1984 and into 1985. If this occurs, then the higher price level should be maintained into 1985,” Williamson said.
He predicted that producers will see a five to
88.1%