BLUESTEM PASTURE
REPORT

SPECIAL PRESS RELEASE

Released: April 24, 1997
KANSAS
AGRICULTURAL
STATISTICS

Fact Finding
For Agriculture

Kansas Department of Agriculture
U.S. Department of Agriculture
632 SW Van Buren, Rm. 200
P.O. Box 3534
Topeka, Kansas 66601-3534
Phone: (913) 233-2230

Bluestem pastures in the Flint Hills region are in good to excellent condition going into the 1997 grazing season, according to Kansas Agricultural Statistics. Pasture conditions across the Flint Hills region, as of mid-April, were rated 90 percent of normal. As of April 20, topsoil moisture conditions were rated mostly adequate to surplus throughout the Flint Hills region. Cool, wet weather has slowed pastures coming back from burning. Warm weather is needed for the pastures to green up. The percentage of available pasture already contracted, as of mid-April, stood at 99 percent. Sixty percent of the acres are under full summer season contracts, 21 percent will be under short-season contracts, and 19 percent leased for the full year. The 1992 U.S. Census of Agriculture for Kansas indicates the acreage of pasture lands and rangelands total approximately 3.9 million acres in the Flint Hills region. The sources of stock water across the region and the respective frequency of use are: ponds, 58 percent; streams and springs, 34 percent; and wells, 8 percent. Water supplies are excellent with ponds overflowing in some areas

Under full summer season contracts, average lease rates for steers and heifers and cow/calf pairs were mixed when compared with a year ago (see Table 1). The 1997 average lease price per head for steers and heifers under 700 pounds for full summer season contracts decreased $1.90 to $60.30. The lease rate for steers and heifers over 700 pounds averaged $72.10, up $2.60 from 1996. The rates for cows with fall calves, at $113.40, increased $3.60 from a year ago, while cows with spring calves increased $2.00 to $101.40. Table 2 illustrates that the average number of grass acres guaranteed for steers and heifers were lower than 1996 except for the under 700 pound weight group. The average acres for cow/calf pairs were basically unchanged from 1996. Current rates on a per acre basis stood at $15.90, up 60 cents from the 1996 average rate. The lease rate per acre with services, which include the pasture contractor's responsibility for salt, water, and care averaged $16.50 per acre, a 30 cent decrease from 1996. The lease rate when the pasture contractor provides no service averaged $15.50 per acre, up 70 cents from 1996. Table 5
illustrates weight group breakdowns for the three regions. The average reported date for the start of the grazing season under full summer season contracts in the Flint Hills region is April 25, ranging from an early date of April 17 in Chase County to May 5 in Geary County. The average reported ending date for the grazing season is October 20.

The average reported starting date for intensive or short season grazing is April 24. The average number of grazing days for steers and heifers under 700 pounds is 93 days. Current lease rates on a per acre basis averaged $19.30. The lease rate per acre with services, at $20.30, increased $2.80 from a year ago, and the rate without services, at $18.50, climbed $2.20 from 1996. The average lease price per head for steers and heifers under 700 pounds (see Table 3) increased 80 cents to $48.60. The lease rate for stockers under 500 pounds was $48.10, up 50 cents from 1996. The rate for the 500-699 pound weight group, at $49.00 increased $1.10 per head. Steers and heifers over 700 pounds 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 over 700 pounds averaged 2.9 acres of grass.

Eight percent of the reports indicated contracts based on price per pound of gain, compared with 9 percent in 1996. Prices varied from 31 to 38 cents per pound of gain and averaged 32 cents.

The average price per cow with calf reported under full year leasing arrangements was $117.20 with 9.0 acres guaranteed. Lease rates on a per acre basis averaged $14.00 for the full year.

In winter yearling grazing arrangements, the average reported price was $4.50 per head per month with 4.6 acres guaranteed.

Seventy-four percent of the respondents reported burning of pastures, up from 15 percent a year ago. The average burning date was April 11.

Table 2-- BLUESTEM PASTURE RENTAL ACREAGE GUARANTEES, CONDITION, & CATTLE PRICES, 1993-97

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				Cows
	Under 500 Pound s	500- 699 Pound s	Under 700 Pound s	Over 700 Pound s	With Fall Calves	With Spring Calves	All Cows
									Beef Cattle	Calves
	- - - - - - - - - - Acres - - - - - - - - - -							Percent	Dollars
1993	3 .8	4 .1	4 .0	4 .5	8 .1	7 .1	7 .6	84	79 .30	95 .70
1994	3 .9	4 .1	4 .0	4 .8	8 .1	7 .2	7 .6	89	73 .30	101 .00
1995	3 .9	4 .5	4 .3	4 .8	8 .1	7 .4	7 .6	93	72 .00	91 .00
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

Table 3-- BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES & ACREAGE GUARANTEES, SHORT SUMMER SEASON, 1993- 97

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	Over 700 Pounds	Under 500 Pounds	500- 699 Pounds	Under 700 Pounds	Over 700 Pounds
1993	42 .00	41 .20	41 .50	50 .70	2 .4	2 .4	2 .4	2 .8
1994	43 .90	44 .60	44 .30	61 .90	2 .2	2 .4	2 .4	3 .1
1995	45 .60	46 .50	46 .20	50 .70	2 .5	2 .6	2 .5	2 .8
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

Table 4-- FULL YEAR LEASING

	Cows with Fall Calves	Cows with Spring Calves
Avg. Lease Price per Head	122 .60	114 .00
Avg. Acres  Guaranteed per Head	9 .4	8 .8
Price for Pastures Rented on 'Per Acre' Basis	14.00

Table 6-- AVERAGE BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES, 1997, 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	Over 700 Pounds
NORTHERN ZONE 1/
With Service	-	-	45 .00	-	22 .00
Without Service	-	-	43 .80	-	18 .90
Combined Average Lease Rate	-	-	44 .30	-	20 .50
CENTRAL ZONE 1/
With Service	43 .50	48 .60	47 .10	-	20 .00
Without Service	40 .00	40 .90	40 .70	-	19 .40
Combined Average Lease Rate	41 .50	44 .60	43 .60	51 .00	20 .00
SOUTHERN ZONE 1/
With Service	53 .40	55 .80	54 .70	62 .00	20 .10
Without Service	46 .40	50 .00	48 .60	57 .50	17 .60
Combined Average Lease Rate	49 .60	52 .30	51 .20	60 .00	18 .50
14 COUNTY BLUESTEM PASTURE AREA
With Service	50 .40	52 .60	51 .70	61 .70	20 .30
Without Service	44 .70	46 .50	45 .80	54 .40	18 .50
Combined Average Lease Rate	48 .10	49 .00	48 .60	58 .40	19 .30

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 $11.49 per rod. The rate excluding materials averaged
$6.15 per rod. Average hourly rates charged for fence building are $10.64 per hour without equipment, and $22.95 per hour with equipment.

 
 

Table 7-- RANGE OF BLUESTEM PASTURE LEASE RATES, 1997 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				Cows
	Under 500 Pounds	500- 699 Pounds	Under 700 Pounds	Over 700 Pounds	With Fall Calves	With Spring Calves	All Cows
NORTHERN ZONE 2/
With Service	-	60-84	60-84	65-105	75-147	75-140	75-140	10.00-21.00
Without Service	47-65	50-80	47-80	60-100	80-148	80-124	80-126	12.00-20.00
Combined Average Lease Rate	42-65	55-84	44-82	60-100	80-147	75-125	80-130	12.00-20.00
CENTRAL ZONE 2/
With Service	39-70	42-84	39-80	55-90	85-145	83-135	85-145	14.00-20.00
Without Service	40-78	45-70	40-78	63-80	72-140	75-120	72-128	14.00-20.00
Combined Average Lease Rate	39-78	42-80	39-80	54-80	72-145	75-128	72-135	14.00-20.00
SOUTHERN ZONE 2/
With Service	44-80	50-80	48-80	65-100	75-150	78-135	75-149	13.00-20.00
Without Service	30-72	50-75	45-75	60-80	80-140	70-120	75-128	10.00-19.00
Combined Average Lease Rate	30-80	50-80	45-80	60-100	80-149	70-128	75-135	10.00-20.00
14 COUNTY BLUESTEM PASTURE AREA
With Service	42-80	45-84	42-84	55-100	85-149	75-135	75-145	12.50-20.00
Without Service	40-75	46-78	43-78	55-100	80-140	75-123	75-128	12.00-20.00
Combined Average Lease Rate	33-78	46-80	42-80	54-100	80-145	75-126	75-135	12.00-20.00

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.

Charles Ruckman & Quentin Wearne

Agricultural Statisticians

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