Czech farms cull cattle as drought drives feed costs to record highs
Czech farmers are cutting cattle herds as an exceptional drought shrinks feed supplies and sends hay prices soaring.
An exceptional summer drought is forcing Czech farmers to reduce their cattle herds, as a severe shortage of feed crops drives up costs and squeezes already tight profit margins.
Farm representatives say the prolonged dry spell has cut grain yields and severely damaged forage crops, leaving many operations without enough feed to sustain their animals through the winter. The situation is compounded by low milk prices, high fuel and fertiliser costs, and broader economic pressures that have drained cash reserves.
Zdenek Duffek, chairman of the Agropodnik Kosetice farm in the central Bohemian highlands, said his operation is producing only about half the haylage it needs to secure its feed stock. The farm, which manages 2,600 hectares and roughly 2,900 cattle, requires about 11,000 tonnes of haylage annually. Even with 3,000 tonnes carried over from last year, it will fall short by around 1,500 tonnes.
"This year is very exceptional, because the drought is taking long," Duffek said. "There is truly very little precipitation and when it comes, it comes by a millimetre or two, which is not sufficient to provide water for plants."
Martin Pycha, head of the Czech Agriculture Association, said the price of hay has quadrupled, from roughly 500 crowns per bale to 2,000 crowns. He noted that many farmers are responding by trimming their herds, sending bulls to slaughter early and selling young calves rather than paying inflated prices for feed.
Duffek confirmed his farm is prioritising its core milk-producing cows and reducing its rearing bulls. "We have to secure the core herd, the milk cows, we have to give them all we have," he said.
The increased supply of cattle to market is beginning to push beef prices down, adding another layer of financial strain. Pycha estimated the sector faces a revenue drop of about 20 billion crowns ($968 million) for its main commodities this year.
The drought has also caused wider disruption across central Europe, emptying dams, drying wells, and forcing emergency shutdowns at power plants due to a lack of cooling water.