Drought, recession scorch Texas cattle ranchers

PANDORA, Texas (Reuters) – Frates Seeligson recalls when his ranch last saw rain: September of last year.

That was around the time he took on an extra 200 cows to help a farmer whose fields were ravaged by Hurricane Ike.

Talk about a perfect storm. The worst drought on record in this parched part of south-central Texas means his withered land can hardly support his own dwindling herds.

Meanwhile, the worsening recession means that low-priced hamburger meat is replacing high-priced steak on American shopping lists, driving down beef prices.

“These cows aren’t in good shape,” Seeligson said recently as he scattered protein cubes or pellets for some of the cattle in his herd at the crack of dawn on a mist-shrouded morning.

The feed is meant to be supplemental but the grazing is so poor that it is now his herd’s main source of nutrition.

Reuters