>State Statisticsl Report R:bluest04

BLUESTEM PASTURE

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

Released: April 22, 2004

Bluestem pasture condit ion in the Flint Hills region is rated at 89 percent of normal, going into the 2004 grazing season. As of April 19, topsoil moisture conditions were rated mostly short to adequate across the bluestem region. Sources of stock water being used are: ponds, 59 percent; streams, 28 percent; wells, 8 percent; and spring developments, 5 percent. Water supplies are rated short to adequate, with 49 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, 33 percent under partial-season contracts, and 19 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 13 in Chautauqua County to May 1 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 96 days.

For 2004, 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 $18.90 where care is provided and $17.90 where no care is provided. Price per head with care for steers and heifers under 700 pounds averaged $55.70 with a guarantee of 2.3 acres. Without care, the price per head averaged $46.70 with 2.6 acres guaranteed.

The average price per acre for partial season contracts of more than ninety days was $17.20 without care. There were not enough reports to determine a contract price per acre with care provided. Price per head with care for steers and heifers under 700 pounds averaged $60.60 with a guarantee of 3.0 acres. Without care, the price per head averaged $51.20 with 3.0 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 532 pounds. The average beginning weight for a partial summer season is 548 pounds. The average live pounds per acre for a full summer season is 169 pounds and for a partial summer season the average is 247 live pounds per acre. For a full summer season, the average price per acre with care is $21.50 and without care is $19.42. For a partial summer season, the average price per acre with care is $21.50 and without care is $19.00.

Twenty-eight reports indicated contracts based on price per pound of gain. Prices varied from 25 to 55 cents per pound of gain and averaged 35 cents.

The average lease rate per cow with calf reported under full year leasing arrangements is $115.60 with 8.6 acres guaranteed. Lease rates on a per acre basis averaged $15.80 for the full year.

In winter stocker grazing arrangements, the average reported price is $7.05 per head per month with 4.2 acres guaranteed. For winter cow grazing arrangements, the average reported price is $10.47 per head per month with 6.0 acres guaranteed.

Seventy-one percent of the respondents reported burning of pastures, up 2 percentage points from a year ago. The average burning date was April 7.

Services provided by the landlord or caretaker in full summer season leasing arrangements are reported as follows: burning, 83 percent; fence maintenance, 90 percent; guaranteed count, 37 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, 92 percent; fence maintenance, 92 percent; guaranteed count, 40 percent; and other miscellaneous services, 30 percent.

BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES & PERCENT LEASED, 2000-2004

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
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
2004	58 .50	66 .10	63 .00	75 .80	111 .90	109 .20	110 .00	16 .70	97

BLUESTEM PASTURE RENTAL ACREAGE GUARANTEES, CONDITION, & CATTLE PRICES, 2000-2004

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/
	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
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
2004	3 .8	4 .1	3 .9	5 .1	7 .9	7 .2	7 .4	89	79 .30	116 .00

1/ 2003 data revised.

BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES & ACREAGE GUARANTEES, SHORT SUMMER SEASON, 2000-2004

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
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
2004	52 .60	54 .10	53 .60	62 .40	2 .5	2 .8	2 .7	3 .1

FULL YEAR LEASING

	Cows with Fall Calves	Cows with Spring Calves
Avg. Lease Price per Head	115 .10	116 .00
Avg. Acres Guaranteed per Head	8 .7	8 .5
Price for Pastures Rented on 'Per Acre' Basis	15.80

AVERAGE BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES, 2004, 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	58 .30	70 .40	66 .40	2/	115 .90	117 .20	116 .70	16 .60
Without Service	60 .00	62 .70	61 .60	73 .30	111 .80	107 .40	109 .00	15 .80
Combined Average Lease Rate	59 .40	65 .90	63 .50	76 .10	112 .80	109 .60	110 .80	16 .00
CENTRAL ZONE 1/
With Service	60 .50	72 .30	69 .10	74 .90	103 .20	108 .90	106 .90	17 .60
Without Service	57 .70	66 .60	62 .80	80 .80	123 .00	111 .60	113 .30	17 .30
Combined Average Lease Rate	58 .80	69 .90	66 .00	78 .50	112 .60	110 .90	111 .20	17 .40
SOUTHERN ZONE 1/
With Service	60 .50	68 .50	64 .00	78 .00	121 .70	110 .50	113 .40	17 .40
Without Service	54 .80	57 .60	56 .40	61 .90	107 .10	106 .40	106 .60	15 .90
Combined Average Lease Rate	57 .70	61 .70	59 .80	70 .80	110 .90	107 .80	108 .80	16 .20
14 COUNTY BLUESTEM PASTURE AREA
With Service	60 .00	70 .80	66 .60	78 .50	113 .80	111 .70	112 .40	17 .30
Without Service	57 .30	62 .10	60 .10	73 .70	111 .10	108 .20	109 .00	16 .50
Combined Average Lease Rate	58 .50	66 .10	63 .00	75 .80	111 .90	109 .20	110 .00	16 .70

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

AVERAGE BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES, 2004, 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	2/	49 .50	50 .40	2/	20 .00
Without Service	2/	2/	56 .70	2/	15 .80
Combined Average Lease Rate	2/	52 .50	52 .50	59 .30	18 .20
CENTRAL ZONE 1/
With Service	61 .70	57 .10	58 .10	2/	17 .20
Without Service	49 .70	46 .50	47 .60	2/	18 .30
Combined Average Lease Rate	55 .20	52 .90	53 .60	65 .10	18 .00
SOUTHERN ZONE 1/
With Service	54 .70	59 .40	57 .70	72 .00	17 .80
Without Service	47 .80	49 .70	49 .00	2/	17 .00
Combined Average Lease Rate	51 .60	55 .30	53 .90	65 .50	17 .20
14 COUNTY BLUESTEM PASTURE AREA
With Service	56 .20	57 .70	57 .30	70 .40	17 .90
Without Service	48 .50	48 .80	48 .70	54 .40	17 .50
Combined Average Lease Rate	52 .60	54 .10	53 .60	62 .40	17 .60

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 $8.38 per rod. The rate excluding materials averaged $6.11 per rod. Average hourly rates charged for fence building are $15.73 per hour without equipment, and $28.24 per hour with equipment.

RANGE OF BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES, 2004. 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	25-75	50-85	25-85	70-95	75-135	75-125	75-135	5-20
Without Service	45-75	49-80	45-80	60-90	75-135	70-125	70-135	10-20
Combined Average Lease Rate	25-75	49-85	25-85	60-95	75-135	70-125	70-135	5-20
CENTRAL ZONE 2/
With Service	25-75	30-85	25-85	63-95	65-135	55-125	55-135	5-20
Without Service	25-75	30-85	25-85	70-95	105-135	68-125	68-135	14-20
Combined Average Lease Rate	25-75	30-85	25-85	63-95	65-135	55-125	55-135	5-20
SOUTHERN ZONE 2/
With Service	40-75	55-85	40-85	55-95	90-135	70-125	70-135	5-20
Without Service	40-74	45-76	40-76	40-73	83-135	50-125	50-135	8-20
Combined Average Lease Rate	40-75	45-85	40-85	40-95	83-135	50-125	50-135	5-20
14 COUNTY BLUESTEM PASTURE AREA
With Service	25-75	30-85	25-85	55-95	65-135	55-125	55-135	5-20
Without Service	25-75	30-85	25-85	40-95	75-135	50-125	50-135	8-20
Combined Average Lease Rate	25-75	30-85	25-85	40-95	65-135	50-125	50-135	5-20

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.

NOTICE: Due to funding restrictions, this may be the last year that the Bluestem Pasture survey will be conducted.

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

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