Released: April 27, 2001

Bluestem pasture condit ion in the Flint Hills region is rated at 87 percent of normal, going into the 2001 grazing season. Dry conditions in 2000 are the main reason for lower condition compared to recent years. As of April 22, topsoil moisture conditions were mostly adequate or surplus across the bluestem region, except in parts of the central zone where shortages were reported. Stock water sources across the region and the respective frequency of use are: ponds, 60 percent; streams and springs, 32 percent; and wells, 8 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, 59 percent are under full summer season contracts, 20 percent under short-season contracts, and 21 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 Pottawatomie County. The average ending date for the grazing season is October 17. Short season or intensive grazing average starting date is April 24. 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 are steady to slightly higher while the price for cow/calf pairs declined slightly from last years rates (see table 1). The 2001 average lease price per head for steers and heifers under 700 pounds for full summer season contracts increased 70 cents to $63.00. The lease rate for steers and heifers 700 pounds or more averaged $75.40, down a dime from 2000. The rates for cows with fall calves, at $113.60, are down $1.40 from a year ago and cows with spring calves were $2.40 lower at $104.10. The average rate for acres rented on a per acre basis at $16.30 is unchanged from the 2000 rate.

The average number of grass acres guaranteed are up from last year for all classes of cattle (see table 2). This increase is likely due to lower pasture condition compared with a year ago. The lease rate per acre with services, which include the pasture contractor's responsibility for salt, water, and care averaged $16.90 per acre, down 50 cents from 2000. The lease rate when the pasture contractor provides no service averaged $16.00 per acre, up 10 cents from 2000. Table 5 illustrates weight group breakdowns for the three regions.

Short season or intensive grazing lease rates on a per acre basis averaged $17.90 for 2001, down 60 cents from last year. The lease rate per acre with services, at $18.50, was down $1.00 from a year ago, and the rate without services, at $17.50, was down 50 cents from 2000 (see table 6). The average lease price per head for steers and heifers under 700 pounds, at $52.60, was down 40 cents (see table 3). The lease rate for stockers under 500 pounds is $51.40, up 50 cents from 2000. The rate for the 500-699 pound weight group, at $53.40 was down $1.00 per head. Steers and heifers 700 pounds or more averaged $58.40 per head. Steers and heifers under 700 pounds were guaranteed an average of 2.7 acres of grass per head, while those 700 pounds or more averaged 3.2 acres of grass.

Twenty-five reports indicated contracts based on price per pound of gain. Prices varied from 22 to 40 cents per pound of gain and averaged 31 cents.

The average price per cow with calf reported under full year leasing arrangements is $117.60 with 8.5 acres guaranteed. Lease rates on a per acre basis averaged $15.50 for the full year.

In winter yearling grazing arrangements, the average reported price is $5.30 per head per month with 4.3 acres guaranteed.

Sixty-three percent of the respondents reported burning of pastures, down 16 percent from a year ago. The average burning date was April 12.

Table 1-- BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES & PERCENT LEASED, 1997-2001

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
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
2001	59 .00	65 .50	63 .00	75 .40	113 .60	104 .10	107 .00	16 .30	97

Table 2-- BLUESTEM PASTURE RENTAL ACREAGE GUARANTEES, CONDITION, & CATTLE PRICES, 1997-2001

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
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
2001	3 .8	4 .0	3 .9	5 .1	7 .8	7 .2	7 .7	87	78 .70	107 .00

Table 3-- BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES & ACREAGE GUARANTEES, SHORT SUMMER SEASON, 1997-2001

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
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
2001	51 .40	53 .40	52 .60	58 .40	2 .6	2 .7	2 .7	3 .2

Table 4-- FULL YEAR LEASING

	Cows with Fall Calves	Cows with Spring Calves
Avg. Lease Price per Head	121 .30	115 .40
Avg. Acres Guaranteed per Head	8 .8	8 .3
Price for Pastures Rented on 'Per Acre' Basis	15.50

Table 5-- AVERAGE BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES, 2001, 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 .70	72 .60	69 .70	84 .10	117 .30	107 .40	110 .60	16 .10
Without Service	60 .80	62 .10	61 .80	69 .20	105 .00	103 .20	103 .70	15 .20
Combined Average Lease Rate	62 .70	68 .10	66 .80	78 .40	111 .30	105 .20	107 .10	15 .50
CENTRAL ZONE 1/
With Service	61 .00	65 .10	63 .90	2/	119 .50	104 .40	107 .20	17 .70
Without Service	60 .20	60 .10	60 .10	2/	113 .80	99 .60	104 .30	16 .90
Combined Average Lease Rate	60 .40	63 .10	62 .00	63 .80	115 .60	102 .00	105 .60	17 .20
SOUTHERN ZONE 1/
With Service	58 .80	65 .40	62 .80	74 .40	120 .30	109 .60	112 .60	16 .30
Without Service	55 .10	64 .60	60 .90	2/	115 .80	102 .60	107 .10	15 .10
Combined Average Lease Rate	57 .00	65 .00	61 .90	73 .60	117 .40	105 .60	109 .30	15 .60
14 COUNTY BLUESTEM PASTURE AREA
With Service	60 .60	67 .70	65 .20	77 .40	118 .50	107 .00	109 .80	16 .90
Without Service	57 .30	62 .60	60 .40	71 .40	111 .30	101 .70	104 .70	16 .00
Combined Average Lease Rate	59 .00	65 .50	63 .00	75 .40	113 .60	104 .10	107 .00	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, 2001, 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	49 .80	62 .80	56 .30	60 .00	20 .80
Without Service	--	52 .60	52 .60	--	15 .10
Combined Average Lease Rate	49 .80	56 .30	54 .60	2/	18 .00
CENTRAL ZONE 1/
With Service	52 .60	53 .60	53 .20	2/	18 .30
Without Service	2/	42 .90	44 .90	--	18 .20
Combined Average Lease Rate	52 .50	49 .40	50 .50	2/	18 .20
SOUTHERN ZONE 1/
With Service	53 .20	56 .10	55 .20	69 .70	18 .80
Without Service	50 .00	51 .80	50 .90	2/	17 .20
Combined Average Lease Rate	51 .30	54 .40	53 .20	63 .50	17 .80
14 COUNTY BLUESTEM PASTURE AREA
With Service	52 .00	55 .80	54 .50	60 .70	18 .50
Without Service	50 .20	50 .00	50 .10	2/	17 .50
Combined Average Lease Rate	51 .40	53 .40	52 .60	58 .40	17 .90

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 $13.70 per rod. The rate excluding materials averaged $7.00 per rod. Average hourly rates charged for fence building are $12.20 per hour without equipment, and $28.80 per hour with equipment.


Table 7-- RANGE OF BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES, 2001 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	59-70	63-78	59-78	80-90	100-140	90-125	90-140	14-20
Without Service	58-65	50-70	50-70	68-70	85-120	85-120	85-120	14-18
Combined Average Lease Rate	58-65	50-78	50-78	68-90	85-140	85-125	85-140	14-20
CENTRAL ZONE 2/
With Service	50-75	45-76	46-76	3/	107-130	100-125	100-125	15-20
Without Service	40-80	60-80	40-80	3/	95-135	88-125	88-135	12-20
Combined Average Lease Rate	40-80	45-80	40-80	60-85	95-135	88-125	88-135	12-20
SOUTHERN ZONE 2/
With Service	50-75	58-80	50-80	65-77	100-135	100-125	100-135	15-19
Without Service	50-72	55-80	50-80	3/	94-132	84-120	84-132	13-18
Combined Average Lease Rate	50-75	55-80	50-80	65-77	94-135	84-125	84-135	13-19
14 COUNTY BLUESTEM PASTURE AREA
With Service	50-75	45-80	45-80	65-90	100-140	90-125	90-140	14-20
Without Service	40-80	50-80	40-80	60-80	85-135	84-120	84-135	12-20
Combined Average Lease Rate	40-80	45-80	40-80	60-90	85-140	84-125	84-140	12-20

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. 3/ Insufficient reports to publish.

Dona Ratliff, Research Analyst
Dan Kolterman, Agricultural Statistician
Eldon J. Thiessen, State Statistician
Eddie Wells, Deputy State Statistician

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