Oregon Public Broadcasting

Northwest cattle ranchers are cutting back their herds and trying to survive in the poor economy.

Record-high hay and grain costs combined with plummeting cattle prices are putting many ranchers out of business. Correspondent Anna King reports.

But lately those skills have been put to the test. Olberding says he’s getting nearly 45 cents per pound less than he was two years ago. He says many of the older ranchers he knows are selling off their herds and going into early retirement and they are not coming back.Larry Olberding: “I don’t think that segment or you know, that that’s gonna get picked up by people. I mean we are definitely going to be long term a smaller industry than we have been I think.”Olberding says prices are down because many consumers are choosing cut-rate beef at supermarkets. Folks are picking up hamburger instead of T-bones. And he says the restaurant business is suffering too.