Bluestem pasture condition in the Flint Hills region is rated at 80 percent of normal, going into the 2006 grazing season. As of April 17, topsoil moisture conditions were rated mostly short to adequate across the bluestem region. Sources of stock water being used are: ponds, 54 percent; streams, 29 percent; wells, 10 percent; and spring developments, 7 percent. Water supplies are rated short to adequate, with 63 percent reporting adequate supplies.

The percentage of available pasture already contracted, as of mid-April, stood at 97 percent. Of the acres contracted, 48 percent are under full summer season contracts, 24 percent under partial-season contracts, and 28 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 25, ranging from an early date of April 19 in several southern counties to May 2 in Pottawatomie County. The average ending date for the grazing season is October 15. The average starting date for partial season or intensive grazing is April 23. The average number of grazing days for steers and heifers under 700 pounds is 97 days.

For 2006, partial season contracts have been broken into two categories: contracts with ninety grazing days or less and contracts with more than ninety grazing days.

Partial season contracts with ninety grazing days or less reported an average per acre lease rate of $20.37 where care is provided and $17.43 where no care is provided. Price per head with care for steers and heifers under 700 pounds averaged $57.00 with a guarantee of 2.4 acres. Without care, the price per head averaged $44.30 with 2.4 acres guaranteed.

The average price per acre for partial season contracts of more than ninety days was $18.15 without care. The average, with care, was $20.10 per acre. Price per head with care for steers and heifers under 700 pounds averaged $60.50 with a guarantee of 2.9 acres. Without care, the price per head averaged $47.40 with 2.8 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 507 pounds. The average beginning weight for a partial summer season is 573 pounds. The average live pounds per acre for a full summer season is 296 pounds and for a partial summer season the average is 297 live pounds per acre. For a full summer season, the average price per acre with care is $19.38 and without care is $18.80. For a partial summer season, the average price per acre with care is $24.58 and without care is $16.50.

Sixteen reports indicated contracts based on price per pound of gain. Prices varied from 25 to 98 cents per pound of gain and averaged 37 cents.

The average lease rate per cow with calf reported under full year leasing arrangements is $121.60 with 10.1 acres guaranteed. Lease rates on a per acre basis averaged $15.40 for the full year.

In winter stocker grazing arrangements, the average reported price is $7.60 per head per month with 5.0 acres guaranteed. For winter cow grazing arrangements, the average reported price is $13.32 per head per month with 7.5 acres guaranteed.

Sixty-three percent of the respondents reported burning of pastures, down 8 percentage points from two years ago. The average burning date was April 11.

Services provided by the landlord or caretaker in full summer season leasing arrangements are reported as follows: burning, 82 percent; fence maintenance, 90 percent; guaranteed count, 41 percent; salt, 67 percent; and other miscellaneous services, 10 percent.

Services provided by the landlord or caretaker in partial summer season leasing arrangements are reported as follows: burning, 86 percent; fence maintenance, 91 percent; guaranteed count, 39 percent; salt, 69 percent; and other miscellaneous services, 9 percent.

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
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
2004	58.50	66.10	63.00	75.80	111.90	109.20	110.00	16.70	97
2006	68.20	67.80	67.90	85.40	120.60	118.90	119.40	17.60	97

Bluestem Pasture Rental Acreage Guarantees, Condition, & Cattle Prices, 2001-2006 1/

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	Average for Pairs
	Under 500 Pounds	500- 699 Pounds	Under 700 Pounds	700 Pounds or More	With Fall Calves	With Spring Calves	Average for Pairs		Beef Cattle	Calves
	- - - - - - - - - - Acres - - - - - - - - - -							Percent	Dollars
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
2004	3.8	4.1	3.9	5.1	7.9	7.2	7.4	89	79.30	116.00
2006	4.0	4.2	4.2	5.3	8.0	7.9	7.9	80	92.80	147.00

Bluestem Pasture Lease Rates & Acreage Guarantees, Short Summer Season, 2000-2006 1/

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
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
2004	52.60	54.10	53.60	62.40	2.5	2.8	2.7	3.1
2006	52.50	57.70	56.50	61.30	3.0	3.1	3.0	3.3

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/	80.50	76.30	92.50	131.40	133.90	133.10	19.20
Without Service	72.30	68.30	69.60	77.70	119.80	117.50	118.20	17.20
Combined Average Lease Rate	69.60	73.10	72.00	81.80	122.60	121.50	121.80	17.60
CENTRAL ZONE 1/
With Service	79.60	72.60	75.40	98.50	143.00	123.00	130.50	19.50
Without Service	63.00	66.20	65.20	89.20	126.10	125.80	125.80	18.60
Combined Average Lease Rate	73.20	69.40	70.70	94.30	132.40	125.00	127.30	18.70
SOUTHERN ZONE 1/
With Service	58.80	66.90	65.20	86.00	115.40	123.30	120.20	15.90
Without Service	56.80	61.50	60.80	79.70	108.70	106.20	107.10	16.10
Combined Average Lease Rate	57.80	63.70	62.70	82.60	110.50	110.30	110.40	16.10
14 COUNTY BLUESTEM PASTURE AREA
With Service	70.40	72.40	71.80	92.70	129.00	127.50	128.00	18.30
Without Service	66.20	64.40	64.80	80.60	117.10	116.00	116.30	17.40
Combined Average Lease Rate	68.20	67.80	67.90	85.40	120.60	118.90	119.40	17.60

1/ Zones are defined on the Kansas Bluestem Pasture map, page 2. 2/ Insufficient reports to publish.

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	59.40	55.40	56.40	54.10	18.90
Without Service	40.80	45.20	43.70	2/	17.90
Combined Average Lease Rate	48.80	50.60	50.10	2/	18.20
CENTRAL ZONE 1/
With Service	53.80	64.70	62.20	2/	21.60
Without Service	44.50	55.00	52.00	2/	19.70
Combined Average Lease Rate	49.10	60.50	57.60	83.50	20.00
SOUTHERN ZONE 1/
With Service	57.10	63.90	61.60	2/	19.90
Without Service	44.90	47.50	46.90	57.00	17.00
Combined Average Lease Rate	52.60	55.70	54.80	60.00	17.90
14 COUNTY BLUESTEM PASTURE AREA
With Service	56.80	62.00	60.50	77.80	20.10
Without Service	43.70	48.70	47.40	64.80	18.20
Combined Average Lease Rate	51.00	55.70	54.40	69.50	18.70

1/ Zones are defined on the Kansas Bluestem Pasture map, page 2. 2/ Insufficient reports to publish.

The rate charged for building a five-wire, all steel post fence, including materials, averaged $19.25 per rod. The rate excluding materials averaged $8.58 per rod. Average hourly rates charged for fence building are $17.75 per hour without equipment, and $33.73 per hour with equipment.

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	30-83	60-100	30-100	70-103	100-160	85-190	85-190	10-25
Without Service	25-105	51-90	25-105	50-122	75-175	75-180	75-180	10-32
Combined Average Lease Rate	25-105	51-100	25-105	50-122	75-175	75-190	75-190	10-32
CENTRAL ZONE 2/
With Service	46-116	55-119	46-119	70-143	95-170	80-165	80-170	6-28
Without Service	40-80	45-100	40-100	50-120	60-200	60-200	60-200	13-30
Combined Average Lease Rate	40-116	45-119	40-119	50-143	60-200	60-200	60-200	6-30
SOUTHERN ZONE 2/
With Service	55-60	57-82	55-82	60-130	60-165	80-170	60-170	7-25
Without Service	50-67	45-80	45-80	65-125	65-170	65-180	65-180	8-45
Combined Average Lease Rate	50-67	45-82	45-82	60-130	60-170	65-180	60-180	7-45
14 COUNTY BLUESTEM PASTURE AREA
With Service	30-116	55-119	30-119	60-143	60-170	80-190	60-190	6-28
Without Service	25-105	45-100	25-105	50-125	60-200	60-200	60-200	8-45
Combined Average Lease Rate	25-116	45-119	25-119	50-143	60-200	60-200	60-200	6-45

1/ “Range” is defined as those values between which 80 percent of the reported lease rates fall.

NOTICE: Due to funding restrictions, no survey was conducted in 2005 on Bluestem Pasture.

	Cows with Fall Calves	Cows with Spring Calves
Avg. Lease Price per Head	125.30	119.50
Avg. Acres Guaranteed per Head	9.4	10.5
Price for Pastures Rented on ‛Per Acre’ Basis	15.40