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BLUESTEM PASTURE


KANSAS AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE
Kansas Department of Agriculture
PO Box 3534
Topeka, KS 66601-3534
Phone: 785-233-2230

Released: April 23, 2003

Bluestem pasture condit ion in the Flint Hills region is rated at 82 percent of normal, going into the 2003 grazing season. As of April 21, topsoil moisture conditions were rated mostly short to adequate across the bluestem region. Sources of stock water being used are: ponds, 56 percent; streams, 28 percent; wells, 9 percent; and spring developments, 7 percent. Water supplies are rated short to adequate, with 49 percent reporting adequate supplies.

According to the 1997 Census of Agriculture for Kansas, the acreage of pasture lands and rangelands total approximately 4.1 million acres in the Flint Hills region. The percentage of available pasture already contracted, as of mid-April, stood at 97 percent. Of the acres contracted, 60 percent are under full summer season contracts, 19 percent under partial-season contracts, and 21 percent leased for the full year. Partial season grazing may include both early intensive grazing and three-quarter length season reports. The average grazing season start date for full summer season contracts is April 24, ranging from an early date of April 18 in Chase and Cowley counties to May 2 in Geary County. The average ending date for the grazing season is October 17. The average starting date for partial season or intensive grazing is April 22. The average number of grazing days for steers and heifers under 700 pounds is 95 days.

For 2003, partial season contracts have been broken into two categories: contracts with ninety grazing days or less and contracts with more than ninety grazing days. Table 6 includes all data for both categories to maintain historic comparisons of partial season contracts.

Partial season contracts with ninety grazing days or less reported an average per acre lease rate of $19.30 where care is provided and $18.50 where no care is provided. Price per head with care for steers and heifers under 700 pounds averaged $54.30 with a guarantee of 2.3 acres. Without care, the price per head averaged $46.30 with 2.5 acres guaranteed.

The average price per acre for partial season contracts of more than ninety days was $21.21 with care and $17.00 with no care provided. Price per head with care for steers and heifers under 700 pounds averaged $60.00 with a guarantee of 3.0 acres. Without care, the price per head averaged $48.60 with 3.4 acres guaranteed.

When the stocking rate is based on pounds of live cattle per acre, for a full summer season the average beginning weight is 493 pounds. The average beginning weight for a partial summer season is 550 pounds. The average live pounds per acre for a full summer season is 143 pounds and for a partial summer season the average is 234 live pounds per acre. For a full summer season, the average price per acre with care is $20.00 and without care is $16.60. For a partial summer season, the average price per acre with care is $22.50 and without care is $19.80.

Thirty-three reports indicated contracts based on price per pound of gain. Prices varied from 20 to 38 cents per pound of gain and averaged 31 cents.

The average lease rate per cow with calf reported under full year leasing arrangements is $117.90 with 8.5 acres guaranteed. Lease rates on a per acre basis averaged $15.00 for the full year.

In winter stocker grazing arrangements, the average reported price is $10.30 per head per month with 4.2 acres guaranteed. For winter cow grazing arrangements, the average reported price is $9.90 per head per month with 4.9 acres guaranteed.

Sixty-nine percent of the respondents reported burning of pastures, up 32 percentage points from a year ago. The average burning date was April 10.

Services provided by the landlord or caretaker in full summer season leasing arrangements are reported as follows: burning, 79 percent; fence maintenance, 91 percent; guaranteed count, 32 percent; and other miscellaneous services, 28 percent.

Services provided by the landlord or caretaker in partial summer season leasing arrangements are reported as follows: burning, 85 percent; fence maintenance, 88 percent; guaranteed count, 36 percent; and other miscellaneous services, 38 percent.

Table 1-- BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES & PERCENT LEASED, 1999-2003
Year Average Lease Price per Head for Full Summer Season Price for
Pastures
Rented on
"Per Acre"
Basis 		Percent
of
Pastures
Leased
Mid-April
Steers and Heifers Cow/Calf Pairs
Under
500
Pounds 		500-
699
Pounds 		Under
700
Pounds 		700
Pounds or More 		With
Fall
Calves 		With
Spring
Calves 		Average for Pairs
- - - - - - - - - - Dollars - - - - - - - - - -
Percent
1999 56 .00 58 .80 57 .90 63 .80 108 .10 100 .90 102 .90 16 .00 96
2000 60 .40 63 .70 62 .30 75 .50 115 .00 106 .50 108 .80 16 .30 97
2001 59 .00 65 .50 63 .00 75 .40 113 .60 104 .10 107 .00 16 .30 97
2002 62 .50 62 .80 62 .70 78 .30 109 .50 107 .80 108 .30 16 .90 95
2003 62 .30 67 .20 65 .50 79 .80 115 .20 108 .60 110 .50 16 .30 97

Table 2-- BLUESTEM PASTURE RENTAL ACREAGE GUARANTEES, CONDITION, & CATTLE PRICES, 1999-2003
Year Average Acres of Grass Guaranteed per Head
for Full Summer Season 		Pasture
Condition
Percent
of Normal
Mid-April 		Prices Received by
Farmers during February
per 100 Pounds
Steers and Heifers Cow/Calf Pairs
Under
500
Pounds 		500-
699
Pounds 		Under
700
Pounds 		700
Pounds or More 		With
Fall
Calves 		With
Spring
Calves 1/ 		Average for Pairs 1/
Beef
Cattle 		Calves
- - - - - - - - - - Acres - - - - - - - - - -
Percent
Dollars
1999 3 .7 3 .9 3 .8 4 .7 7 .5 7 .0 7 .2 94 63 .80 92 .00
2000 3 .6 3 .9 3 .8 4 .9 7 .6 7 .1 7 .2 93 70 .70 107 .00
2001 3 .8 4 .0 3 .9 5 .1 7 .8 7 .2 7 .7 87 78 .70 107 .00
2002 3 .8 4 .1 4 .0 5 .1 7 .6 7 .4 7 .5 62 72 .60 107 .00
2003 3 .8 3 .9 3 .9 5 .0 7 .5 7 .3 7 .4 82 78 .00 99 .30
1/ 2002 data revised.

Table 3-- BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES & ACREAGE GUARANTEES, SHORT SUMMER SEASON, 1999-2003
Year Average Lease Price per Head
for Partial Season (Dollars) 		Average Acres of Grass Guaranteed
per Head
Steers and Heifers Steers and Heifers
Under
500
Pounds 		500-
699
Pounds 		Under
700
Pounds 		700
Pounds or More 		Under
500
Pounds 		500-
699
Pounds 		Under
700
Pounds 		700
Pounds
or More
1999 47 .10 48 .70 48 .10 60 .30 2 .4 2 .6 2 .6 2 .8
2000 50 .90 54 .40 53 .00 63 .90 2 .4 2 .7 2 .6 3 .0
2001 51 .40 53 .40 52 .60 58 .40 2 .6 2 .7 2 .7 3 .2
2002 50 .50 52 .90 52 .30 59 .60 2 .9 2 .8 2 .8 3 .6
2003 49 .20 53 .50 52 .30 65 .30 2 .5 2 .6 2 .6 3 .7

Table 4-- FULL YEAR LEASING
Cows
with Fall
Calves 		Cows
with Spring
Calves
Avg. Lease
Price per Head 		121 .10 115 .90
Avg. Acres
Guaranteed per Head 		8 .7 8 .4
Price for Pastures Rented
on 'Per Acre' Basis
15.00

Table 5-- AVERAGE BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES, 2003, FULL SUMMER SEASON CONTRACTS
Type
of
Lease 		Average Lease Price per Head for Full Summer Season (Dollars) Price for
Pastures
Rented on
"Per Acre"
Basis
Steers and Heifers Cow/Calf Pairs
Under
500
Pounds 		500-
699
Pounds 		Under
700
Pounds 		700 Pounds or More With
Fall
Calves 		With
Spring
Calves 		Average for Pairs
NORTHERN ZONE 1/
With Service 2/ 74 .60 73 .30 2/ 126 .90 114 .30 117 .30 16 .80
Without Service 62 .20 66 .30 64 .90 77 .00 112 .40 103 .60 106 .20 15 .60
Combined Average Lease Rate 64 .10 69 .90 68 .30 79 .20 114 .70 105 .80 108 .30 15 .90
CENTRAL ZONE 1/
With Service 69 .10 73 .70 71 .90 85 .00 114 .70 111 .30 112 .40 17 .60
Without Service 56 .20 63 .60 61 .00 77 .90 120 .60 108 .20 111 .30 16 .70
Combined Average Lease Rate 62 .00 67 .80 65 .70 81 .50 118 .10 109 .30 111 .70 16 .90
SOUTHERN ZONE 1/
With Service 63 .60 71 .20 68 .20 2/ 119 .30 115 .70 116 .70 16 .20
Without Service 60 .45 59 .10 59 .50 2/ 113 .70 107 .30 109 .10 15 .50
Combined Average Lease Rate 62 .10 64 .30 63 .50 76 .30 116 .10 110 .80 112 .30 15 .70
14 COUNTY BLUESTEM PASTURE AREA
With Service 66 .40 73 .10 70 .70 83 .60 117 .90 114 .20 115 .30 17 .00
Without Service 58 .80 62 .70 61 .40 77 .10 113 .90 105 .90 108 .20 16 .10
Combined Average Lease Rate 62 .30 67 .20 65 .50 79 .80 115 .20 108 .60 110 .50 16 .30
1/ Zones are defined on the Kansas Bluestem Pasture map, page 2. 2/ Insufficient reports to publish.

Table 6-- AVERAGE BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES, 2003, PARTIAL SUMMER SEASON CONTRACTS
Type
of
Lease 		Average Lease Price per Head for Partial Season (Dollars) Price for
Pastures
Rented on
"Per Acre"
Basis
Steers and Heifers
Under
500
Pounds 		500-
699
Pounds 		Under
700
Pounds 		700 Pounds
or More
NORTHERN ZONE 1/
With Service - 52 .20 52 .20 2/ 20 .40
Without Service 2/ 60 .30 53 .90 2/ 18 .00
Combined Average Lease Rate 2/ 55 .40 53 .00 2/ 19 .10
CENTRAL ZONE 1/
With Service 53 .90 58 .30 56 .70 2/ 20 .50
Without Service 45 .60 49 .20 48 .10 2/ 18 .90
Combined Average Lease Rate 50 .90 54 .50 53 .30 66 .30 19 .40
SOUTHERN ZONE 1/
With Service 53 .90 56 .40 55 .80 2/ 18 .40
Without Service 42 .60 48 .40 46 .60 2/ 17 .90
Combined Average Lease Rate 48 .40 53 .00 51 .70 63 .50 18 .10
14 COUNTY BLUESTEM PASTURE AREA
With Service 53 .90 56 .60 55 .80 67 .50 19 .40
Without Service 43 .50 49 .40 47 .60 62 .30 18 .40
Combined Average Lease Rate 49 .20 53 .50 52 .30 65 .30 18 .70
1/ Zones are defined on the Kansas Bluestem Pasture map, page 2. 2/ Insufficient reports to publish.

CUSTOM FENCE BUILDING RATES

The rate charged for building a five-wire, all steel post fence, including materials, averaged $8.90 per rod. The rate excluding materials averaged $6.45 per rod. Average hourly rates charged for fence building are $15.10

per hour without equipment, and $22.50 per hour with equipment.


Table 7-- RANGE OF BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES, 2003. FULL SUMMER SEASON 1/
Type
of
Lease 		Lease Price Range per Head for Season (Dollars) Price for
Pastures
Rented on
"Per Acre"
Basis
Steers and Heifers Cow/Calf Pairs
Under
500
Pounds 		500-
699
Pounds 		Under
700
Pounds 		700 Pounds or More With
Fall
Calves 		With
Spring
Calves 		Average for Pairs
NORTHERN ZONE 2/
With Service 59-75 62-81 59-81 75-90 100-137 90-126 90-137 10-23
Without Service 53-70 50-80 50-80 60-105 70-140 45-130 45-140 10-21
Combined Average Lease Rate 53-75 50-81 50-81 60-105 70-140 45-130 45-140 10-23
CENTRAL ZONE 2/
With Service 50-80 55-86 50-86 65-100 75-160 53-140 53-160 10-23
Without Service 45-80 36-88 36-88 60-95 90-140 45-130 45-140 10-22
Combined Average Lease Rate 45-80 36-88 36-88 60-100 75-160 45-140 45-160 10-23
SOUTHERN ZONE 2/
With Service 42-80 60-90 42-90 65-90 60-144 60-130 60-144 10-22
Without Service 30-80 30-78 30-80 70-80 55-135 45-150 45-150 10-23
Combined Average Lease Rate 30-80 30-90 30-90 65-90 55-144 45-150 45-150 10-23
14 COUNTY BLUESTEM PASTURE AREA
With Service 42-80 55-90 42-90 65-100 60-160 53-140 53-160 10-23
Without Service 30-80 30-88 30-88 60-105 55-140 45-150 45-150 10-23
Combined Average Lease Rate 30-80 30-90 30-90 60-105 55-160 45-150 45-160 10-23
1/ "Range" is defined as those values between which 80 percent of the reported lease rates fall.
2/ Zones are defined on the Kansas Bluestem Pasture map, page 2.

Dona Ratliff, Research Analyst
Joel Golz, Agricultural Statistician
Eldon J. Thiessen, State Statistician
Eddie Wells, Deputy State Statistician

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