As I travel from sale to sale across the state I see a lot of cattle bunched up trying to fight the flies. And probably in areas, where they have had more rain than we have, I’m sure the flies are worse.
After last year I had talked myself out of putting a fly tag in their ear thinking that I still saw a lot of flies on them by the middle of the summer. Then a friend said, “My gosh it only cost a couple of dollars per head and as high as cattle are they would have to gain only 1 pound to pay for it.” I decided he was right and we are fly tagging for grass plus reworming.
Some are sold on adding garlic in their mineral to help control flies and I think I will do that too. Why not?!
We received another inch of rain and it was sure appreciated. At least it greened everything back up to a prettier green. We have been short of rain where the rest of the state has had a lot.
I see lots of wheat being baled for hay. I asked the breakfast intellectuals whether they thought they were baling more for hay because of the price of cattle and wanting to use it to put more pounds on or is it because wheat is cheap. And this expert panel of farmers, ranchers, county workers, and city folk, said it was for both reasons. They are a lot like me—you don’t have to know the right answer you just have to act like you know the right answer. And say that answer loud with authority.
I was reading an article that said the January inventory report for total number of cattle in the United States was down 1% from 2024. And it had fallen to the lowest level since 1961. And for those of you that struggle in math that is 64 years. Wow.
At the livestock auction if you have ever sat in the crowd and listened to the buyers you realize there are quite a few comments for those trying to get a laugh. Last week at the sale a buyer, who is slowing down a bit—I wouldn’t say retired, but definitely not there as much as he used to be—so when he showed up another buyer hollered, “Well it is good to see that you are coming out of retirement.” Then another buyer willingly said it where most all the other buyers could hear and he said, “Is he coming out of retirement or just coming out?”
Then another day at the sale there was a woman that I tease a lot who came up to sit by me for a little bit. I was telling a story about being old and I said, “I don’t consider myself an old dog.” She said, “I don’t either. You are right you are just an old dog.”
Editor’s note: The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not represent the view of High Plains Journal. Jerry Nine, Woodward, Oklahoma, is a lifetime cattleman who grew up on his family’s ranch near Slapout, Oklahoma.
