Producer's Livestock in Utah Seeing Sales Due to Drought and Fires
July 28, 2026 – Not unlike other Western states, Utah cattle producers have been dealt a tough hand with drought and wildfires. Adding insult to injury, last week, producers are adding torrential rains and flooding within burn scars to the list of challenges and that’s certainly affecting the type and numbers of cattle going to town.
Wayne Cowley, area manager for Producer’s Livestock in Salina, Utah, said the dry conditions have hit producers and customers across all seven of their barns, from California to South Dakota.
“Right now, we’re seeing a lot of light calves that we usually see in September or October are coming to town early because of the drought,” Cowley said. “Still a lot of cows. Ranchers are pulling the calves off the cows trying to save feed and the cows because they culled so heavily around our parts.”
He said there has been wildfire pressure and associated death loss for some herds around the state of Utah and into eastern Nevada and Western Colorado. Prices, though, have remained steady.
“A lot of people in our area have a lack of feed and they’re still trying to farm a little bit, too, aren’t ready for these calves they normally buy, but prices, for the most part, are staying steady,” he said. “We have our video sale in Cheyenne this coming Wednesday and a lot of ranchers are just concerned and they don’t know how to plan an off date off the forest service or BLM. We are getting a few storms and maybe that’ll help right now but they’re worried about lighter weights and also having to come home early is their biggest concern, how to plan for it right now.”
He said he hasn’t seen many short-bred heifers sold yet, and said many producers are still holding out hopes for a wet winter. Cowley recommends letting the salebarns know if you’ll be marketing calves early so they can communicate that to the buyers and, even at lighter weights, vaccine protocols and preconditioning remains very important.
Source: Western Ag Network
