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As the weeks continue to pass without any significant rain in the Midwest, it is getting increasingly difficult to find feed for livestock.

Rabobank's "U.S. Cattle Market Update” report anticipates that any rebound in fed cattle prices will be countered by higher feed prices

Feed costs are expected to skyrocket by next year. Get the full report from AgDay.

Though it’s possible some Texas producers could ship hay north, it might not happen for a number of reasons.

Drought drives cattle Inventory down but consumer demand remains high.

The assistance uses the Secretary of Agriculture's existing authority to help create and encourage flexibility within four USDA programs.

Continued extreme heat, drought, wildfires and higher input costs are keeping farmers and ranchers from growing cattle herds.

Drought always presents a major challenge, but there are ways to get through it and survive another year.

USDA's heat stress forecasts show emergency heat levels in the central U.S. through July 6th. Take caution with livestock.

Officially it's still spring, but the Western half of the U.S. continues to struggle with drier weather, which is spreading into the Plains.

More than 1.113 million cattle were shipped out of Texas last year because of the historic drought.

Texas agricultural losses due to the 2011 drought reached a record $7.62 billion, making it the most costly drought in history.

With ramifications of the drought in the Southern Plains still being felt, producers should take precautions for forage production in 2012.

The South American weather watch continues.

Some fall rains making it appear as though some drought-weakened pasture resources are healthier than they might be.

Fueled by declining beef production due to the drought and booming exports, fed-cattle prices soared to new levels.

30-day outlook calls for below-normal precip and above-normal temps across Central & Southern Plains.

Cotton sales to China again bulk of weekly total.

Expect La Nina to peak in November-January.

Says additional rains have helped, but more are needed.

Report highlights

There are indications that the worst of the 2011 drought-forced movements of cattle may be slowing down.

Active weather pattern around next 10-plus days.

Rains in the forecast for Midwest, helping to alleviate drought.

Lower beef production likely will keep calf prices high through at least 2015.

Showers also benefit crops in Australia.

Still a lot of rain is needed to end the long-lasting drought in the Southern Plains.

But near-term outlook is promising for meaningful rains in the Southern Plains.

Recent sharp drops in corn prices may cause some pain for producers, but end users benefit. This is how the free market should and does work, says Jerry Gulke.

With farmers from Kansas to Texas saying they’ve never seen it drier, it looks like 2012 runs the risk of being another short crop year.

The drought losses have reached record levels mainly due to farmers failing to cash in crops during times of high commodity prices.

Drought brought higher placements, but WASDE expects carcass weights to drop.

Producers in the Southern Plains have to make some tough decisions during the drought.

It appears that following 2006, we entered a new climate pattern, one with warmer and drier weather in the South.

Recent high heat and humidity have caused considerable loss of life among cattle and not just in feedyards.

It’s too early to predict the effects on crop yields and livestock production, but 2011 is definitely not going to be as good as 2010 in Louisiana.

Deeper culling of cowherds is not just a possibility but reality in some states.

With the ongoing drought, livestock producers throughout the state continued to cull herds or liquidate them entirely.

Weather in the United States has been making a complicated 2011 cattle market even cloudier, ultimately affecting everyone from producers to consumers.

The Southwest is suffering from a severe lack of moisture, with a realistic and detailed plan in action, your farm can survive even the worst droughts.

Cattle producers in drought and wildfire areas already have to face some tough decisions.

Wildfires continue to rage in Texas as extremely dry and windy conditions have turned the entire state into a giant tinder box.

Wildfires consume thousands of acres of rangeland threatening livestock, homes and firefighters.

While the weather phenomena remains a factor, the Climate Prediction Center isn’t ready to declare drought for 2011.