Last summer’s extreme temperatures took a toll on cattle and producers alike. Data shows it is pushing cattle north, which is a trend researchers say could continue.
High temperatures and severe drought in cattle-producing areas forced many producers to liquidate their herds. Many cows landed farther north in the Midwest.
The Iowa Beef Center says water availability has been a concern for quite some time, but drought made it worse. An ag extension economist says more and more cattle are moving north, but if weather conditions improve in places like Texas and Oklahoma, cattle could return.
