Released: April 25, 2000

Bluestem pasture condit ion in the Flint Hills region is rated at 93 percent of normal, going into the 2000 grazing season, according to Kansas Agricultural Statistics. As of April 16, topsoil moisture conditions were mostly adequate in the southern region and adequate to short in the central and northern regions. Stock water sources across the region and the respective frequency of use are: ponds, 60 percent; streams and springs, 33 percent; and wells, 7 percent. Water supplies are rated good to excellent. From 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, 55 percent are under full summer season contracts, 22 percent under short- season contracts, and 19 percent leased for the full year. Full summer season contracts average start date for grazing season is April 25, ranging from an early date of April 17 in Cowley County to May 1 in Geary and Wabaunsee counties. The average ending date for the grazing season is October 16. Short season or intensive grazing average starting date is April 23. The average number of grazing days for steers and heifers under 700 pounds is 94 days.

Full summer season contracts average lease rates for steers and heifers and cow/calf pairs are up from last years rates (see Table 1). The 2000 average lease price per head for steers and heifers under 700 pounds for full summer season contracts increased $4.40 to $62.30. The lease rate for steers and heifers 700 pounds or more averaged $75.50, up $11.70 from 1999. The rates for cows with fall calves, at $115.00, increased $6.90 from a year ago and cows with spring calves were $5.60 higher at $108.80. The average rate for acres rented on a per acre basis at $16.30 is up 30 cents from the 1999 rate.

The average number of grass acres guaranteed for steers and heifers is higher than a year ago for those 700 pounds or more but lower for those under 500 pounds (see Table 2). The average acres for cows with fall calves and cows with spring calves are up slightly; however the all cow/calf pairs average is unchanged from a year ago. The lease rate per acre with services, which include the pasture contractor's responsibility for salt, water, and care averaged $17.40 per acre, a 50 cents increase from 1999. The lease rate when the pasture contractor provides no service averaged $15.90 per acre, up 20 cents from 1999. Table 5 illustrates weight group breakdowns for the three regions.

Short season or intensive grazing lease rates on a per acre basis averaged $18.50 for 2000. The lease rate per acre with services, at $19.50, increased 40 cents from a year ago, and the rate without services, at $18.00, up 70 cents from 1999 (see Table 6). The average lease price per head for steers and heifers under 700 pounds increased $4.90 to $53.00 (see Table 3). The lease rate for stockers under 500 pounds is $50.90, up $3.80 from 1999. The rate for the 500-699 pound weight group, at $54.40 increased $5.70 per head. Steers and heifers 700 pounds or more averaged $63.90 per head. Steers and heifers under 700 pounds were guaranteed an average of 2.6 acres of grass per head, while those 700 pounds or more averaged 3.0 acres of grass.

Seven percent of the reports indicated contracts based on price per pound of gain, compared with 8 percent in 1999. Prices varied from 25 to 40 cents per pound of gain and averaged 33 cents.

The average price per cow with calf reported under full year leasing arrangements is $113.20 with 8.9 acres guaranteed. Lease rates on a per acre basis averaged $14.40 for the full year.

In winter yearling grazing arrangements, the average reported price is $5.70 per head per month with 5.3 acres guaranteed.

Seventy-nine percent of the respondents reported burning of pastures, up 12 percent from a year ago. The average burning date was April 8.

Table 1-- BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES & PERCENT LEASED, 1996-2000

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				Cows/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
1996	58 .40	64 .00	62 .20	69 .50	109 .80	99 .40	102 .40	15 .30	99
1997	55 .40	62 .70	60 .30	72 .10	113 .40	101 .40	105 .20	15 .90	99
1998	59 .20	63 .60	61 .90	74 .60	110 .20	101 .40	104 .40	16 .90	98
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

Table 2-- BLUESTEM PASTURE RENTAL ACREAGE GUARANTEES, CONDITION, & CATTLE PRICES, 1996-2000

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
									Beef Cattle	Calves
	- - - - - - - - - - Acres - - - - - - - - - -							Percent	Dollars
1996	3 .7	4 .2	4 .1	4 .6	7 .6	7 .1	7 .3	54	60 .50	59 .50
1997	3 .5	3 .9	3 .8	4 .8	7 .6	6 .9	7 .3	90	64 .50	77 .00
1998	3 .8	3 .9	3 .9	4 .8	7 .6	6 .8	7 .3	96	61 .90	93 .00
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

Table 3-- BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES & ACREAGE GUARANTEES, SHORT SUMMER SEASON, 1996-2000

Year	Average Lease Price per Head for Short 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
1996	47 .60	47 .90	47 .80	56 .50	2 .5	2 .5	2 .5	3 .0
1997	48 .10	49 .00	48 .60	58 .40	2 .3	3 .0	2 .7	2 .9
1998	51 .50	53 .80	52 .90	64 .00	2 .6	2 .9	2 .8	2 .7
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

Table 4_FULL YEAR LEASING

	Cows with Fall Calves	Cows with Spring Calves
Avg. Lease Price per Head	114.50	112.60
Avg. Acres Guaranteed per Head	9.6	8.5
Price for Pastures Rented on 'Per Acre' Basis	14.40

Table 5-- AVERAGE BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES, 2000, 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 Pound or More	With Fall Calves	With Spring Calves	Average for Pairs
NORTHERN ZONE 1/
With Service	63 .90	68 .10	66 .50	-	106 .30	103 .60	104 .50	17 .10
Without Service	58 .50	61 .90	60 .20	70 .20	101 .00	97 .50	98 .30	15 .00
Combined Average Lease Rate	60 .20	64 .60	62 .60	70 .20	102 .80	98 .90	99 .90	15 .40
CENTRAL ZONE 1/
With Service	67 .50	73 .60	71 .10	-	138 .60	119 .40	125 .80	17 .70
Without Service	60 .50	66 .70	64 .00	76 .30	120 .10	107 .80	111 .20	16 .60
Combined Average Lease Rate	63 .40	69 .70	67 .00	80 .80	126 .20	111 .00	115 .50	16 .90
SOUTHERN ZONE 1/
With Service	62 .50	62 .10	60 .00	89 .60	123 .20	115 .30	117 .90	17 .20
Without Service	55 .30	58 .40	58 .50	69 .20	118 .00	109 .00	111 .00	15 .60
Combined Average Lease Rate	58 .00	59 .50	58 .90	77 .40	120 .30	111 .00	113 .40	16 .00
14 COUNTY BLUESTEM PASTURE AREA
With Service	65 .30	68 .60	66 .70	85 .00	121 .30	112 .70	115 .60	17 .40
Without Service	57 .50	60 .70	59 .80	71 .50	111 .00	104 .20	105 .80	15 .90
Combined Average Lease Rate	60 .40	63 .70	62 .30	75 .50	115 .00	106 .50	108 .80	16 .30

Table 6-- AVERAGE BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES, 2000, SHORT SUMMER SEASON CONTRACTS

Type of Lease	Average Lease Price per Head for Short 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	-	-	-	-	20 .00
Without Service	61 .60	53 .00	56 .30	-	16 .20
Combined Average Lease Rate	61 .60	54 .40	56 .80	-	16 .50
CENTRAL ZONE 1/
With Service	52 .30	55 .30	53 .70	-	21 .10
Without Service	45 .70	52 .20	50 .70	-	18 .80
Combined Average Lease Rate	51 .10	53 .90	52 .70	69 .30	19 .60
SOUTHERN ZONE 1/
With Service	53 .30	57 .30	55 .90	65 .50	18 .20
Without Service	45 .90	52 .10	49 .30	60 .00	18 .10
Combined Average Lease Rate	48 .90	54 .70	52 .40	63 .70	18 .10
14 COUNTY BLUESTEM PASTURE AREA
With Service	52 .80	56 .80	55 .10	67 .60	19 .50
Without Service	49 .00	52 .30	51 .00	58 .00	18 .00
Combined Average Lease Rate	50 .90	54 .40	53 .00	63 .90	18 .50

1/ Zones are defined on the Kansas Bluestem Pasture map, page 2.

The rate charged for building a five-wire, all steel post fence, including materials, averaged $15.45 per rod. The rate excluding materials averaged $6.30 per rod. Average hourly rates charged for fence building are $19.38 per hour without equipment, and $32.19 per hour with equipment.

Doug Hartwig & Quentin Wearne , Agricultural Statisticians
Eldon J. Thiessen, State Statistician

Eddie Wells, Deputy State Statistician

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