SIX-The Gazette-Times. Heppner. Oregon, Wednesday Novomhor :, ,.7
; 7th Annual TTC
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1977 drought cost Oregon ranchers
$ million, according to OSL survey
The dust has settled, and the
official figure is in: Oregon's
cattle ranchers took a beating
of more than $85 million
during the drought of 1977.
W. Edward Schmisseur,
Oregon State University agri
cultural and resource econo
mist, presented results of a
drought impact survey to
members of the Oregon Cat
tlemen's Association during
the group's annual meeting at
the Portland Sheraton Friday.
Highlights of the survey, to
which nearly one-quarter of
the cattle producers in 18
eastern Oregon counties
responded, revealed that: ,
Eighty per cent of the
ranchers suffered some eco
nomic loss because of the
drought.
More than 130,000 animals
were sold because of drought
conditions. The sales repre
sented an estimated $40 mil
lion loss to ranchers due to
smaller calf-crop, selling feed
ers at lower weights and
selling breeding stock at
slaughter prices.
Ranchers bought 210,000
tops of additional hay, 20,000
tons of grain and 13,000 tons of
supplements that would not
have been needed during a
normal year.
Twenty per cent of the
ranchers hauled additional
water to their animals, up
from the seven per cent who
normally haul water. Total
water hauled was 40 million
gallons over 500,000 miles.
Hauling took an additional
78,000 hours of labor and cost
ranchers more than $325,000 in
extra gas, labor, vehicle
maintainance and deprecia
tion. "That $85 million figure
excludes losses to grain crops
and any additional losses due
to the health of the animals or
breeding problems brought
about by the drought. Ad
ditional interest payments on
loans that ranchers had to
take out also were not
included in that total,"
Schmisseur said.
Yet, few of the ranchers
indicated they would quit the
business following the hard
year. In fact, more than 80 per
cent of those who reduced
herd size during the drought
plan on rebuilding herd numbers.
"Of those rebuilding, half
the ranchers plan to rebuild
their herds within the next two
years, and another 35 per cent
said they will take between
two and four years to rebuild.
And most of those who plan to
rebuild will raise most of their
own replacement animals,"
Schmisseur said.
This latter rebuilding group,
Schmisseur cautioned, may
find themselves reaching peak
production after cattle prices
have peaked.
'1 A.
' pRIZE I 3200 fo-
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ted s? Sears t
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W of Detergent L Authorized J
JA CATALOG
- HJjlC SALES MERCHANT
Chevron
Serving Heppner Area With
A Complete Line Of
Petroleum Products
Glenn Devin
Chevron USA, Inc.
Commission Agent
For Service Call Dick Devin
676-9633
7
'h in e for Beecher
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Class B Championship Game
Nov. 25 1 p.m. In lone
I i Enjoy the game, then join u
ijj Special Prime Rib Dinner
h ; Featuring The Best Salad
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Bar In The Vt est!
Beginning At
3:30 p.m. till?
BEECHER'5
IONE;
Table Tennis players from Haiti and T7"
- Thailand thrilled a scant crowd at
the Heppner High School gym last
Saturday night with their top-notch
play. Referee Tom Modica added f x
his touch to the World Champonshpl "
match. Ill
rsf fit
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