(Bloomberg) -- Widening drought in the U.S. High Plains is putting more pressure on cattle ranches already squeezed by soaring feed prices and a lack of hay.

A week of dry weather worsened drought in top U.S. cattle states including Nebraska and Kansas, with recent precipitation totals in the region among the sparsest on record, according to Deborah Bathke, of the National Drought Mitigation Center, who authored this week’s U.S. Drought Monitor.  

A lack of fodder for cattle is likely to accelerate losses in the U.S. herd, which was already in decline and helping to contribute to rising beef prices. With a lack of available pasture and cold temperatures slowing animals’ weight gain, ranchers have to pay up for supplemental feed or sell off the cows usually held back to build herds. 

There’s few attractive feed alternatives, with U.S. hay supplies the lowest in about 10 years and corn prices the highest for this time of year since 2013. Cattle futures this week touched the highest level since 2015.

“It’s just really expensive to feed these animals,” said Farm Futures analyst Jacqueline Holland. “We’re going to need to see these live cattle prices go even higher to keep these cattle on the farm, and keep producers going even though costs are so high.”

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