<a href="http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21045763-421,00.html" >Cattle slaughter rate jumps as farmers battle drought</a><br />n<br />n<blockquote>CATTLE are being slaughtered at rates not seen for 30 years, with almost three-quarters of a million killed a month as farmers battle the drought.<br />n<br />nFigures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics yesterday reveal a rise in the number of cattle slaughtered for the fifth consecutive month, reaching 706,000 for November.<br />n<br />nOn some measures, the figures are reaching records not seen since the late 1970s, when farmers were reeling from a crash in the international beef price.<br />n<br />nIndustry insiders said they expected the next set of figures, which will include numbers for slaughters in December, to be even worse, and for pig and poultry numbers to be hit soon by high grain prices. </blockquote><br />n<br />nDrought affects all cultures and all areas of the world. I feel for these guys. Having to cut your herd for any reason hurts but to do it because of drought hurts twice. The endless days of waiting for rain and wondering what you are going to do for feed hurts in ways I can't explain. <br />n<br />nI've been there, done that and I'm sure I will again. I do have to look at the up side of this though. Beef is a worldwide commodity so with fewer cattle in the system in Australia we might see the markets for calves hold up a little.<br />n<br />n<strong>Plant diseases, drought, desolation, despair were recurrent catastrophes during the ages – and the ancient remedies: supplications to supernatural spirits or gods. Norman Borlaug</strong>