While drought conditions have improved across the country, a livestock economist says much of cattle country remains desperate for rain.

University of Missouri’s Scott Brown says, “There’s still a number of places where cattle are abundant that we don’t have enough rainfall relative to what’s needed for pasture growth.”

He says the weather will play a role in the future U.S. cattle herd. “If we get timely rains, I think we can continue to see some interest in parts of the country of expanding,” he says.

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