by: Amanda Gomez
WEST- Ranchers trying to cope with one of the worst droughts in the history of the Lone Star State now have to sell off cows they would normally need to rebuild their herd for the upcoming year.
"They're trying to hold on and sell a few, then come back and sell a few more, but they don't have hay or water and we're running dry on resources," says Brian Uptmore, auctioneer and co-operator of West Auction Incorporated.
Uptmore's family runs the West Auction House in West, 20 miles North of Waco, which has nearly double the amount of cattle coming through their doors than normal.
"It's getting to the point where everyone is just overwhelmed. It's just they keep coming back and everything is backing up and we just need rain."
Some ranchers are now deciding to sell their mother cows or pregnant cows because they can't afford to keep feeding them and that means there won't be many calves in the following years. However, buyers up North are taking full of advantage of the new trend.
Mike Mackey is a local rancher who buys for ranchers up North and says he has friends constantly calling him asking him to snatch up some pregnant cows.
"I'm buying several cows. I bought 200 and am planning on buying 50 more or so and sending them on up to Iowa. It's kind of funny because I started with my friend from Iowa and now he's asking me to buy a few more loads, and another load, and another," explains Mackey.
Mackey also told News Channel 25 most all of the cows he buys are anywhere from two to eight months pregnant and some are already having babies at the ranches up North.
"I don't know when or if this trend is going to stop," he says.
Uptmore says this problem is only going to continue to grow if they don't see any rain in September or October.
The rest of the cows who aren't being used for breeding purposes are being slaughtered. In fact, according to a release from the Oklahoma State University Extension, in the worst drought areas beef cow slaughter is averaging 150% from last year.
Adell Uptmore, co-owner of the West Auction Inc. told News Channel 25 Texas is killing more cows than ever before and many of the cows they are selling will end up going to slaughter houses.
