Texas Feedlots

Hey ya'll I am posting this blog for a computer class and nothing came to mind to blog about so I chose Feedlots in the Texas Panhandle. According to statistics Texas has been ranked the number one cattle state in the nation. In early years Texas had more cattle on its ranges than it did people. By the mid 1980's Texas had also become the number 1 cattle feeding state in the U.S. On average,(depending on the markets) the cattle industry contributes around 12 billion dollars to the states economy. The main objective of feedlots is to confine animals to add weight and improve quality. For those reading this blog that do not understand basic weights and vocabulary, some of this information might be hard to interpret. A typical yearling weighing 500-700 pounds will double its weight during its 150-200 days in the feedlot. Depending on the gender,breed and type some cattle are able to gain 3-4.75 pounds a day. Quality will improve from unpredictable to Choice or Select grade- the quality that consumers prefer.

The above image illustrates how densely populated feedlots can be. It wasn't until the years following WWII when the feedlot industry began to change to a more technical and economic stable industry. The increased use of technology changed the landscape and economy of the High Plains of West Texas. The major break through spurred this change The discovery of hybrid grain sorghum and the development of irrigation. Yields doubled from 3000-4000 pounds per acre to 7000-8000 pounds per acre. This huge surplus depressed prices. In 1955 farmers organized the Grain Sorghum Producers Association in effort to find new markets with cattle feeders at home and abroad.