Lingering winter weather this year is exaggerating the impacts of limited forage supplies for beef producers. Drought in 2011 and 2012 reduced U.S. hay production and increased hay demand leaving the country with very limited forage supplies at this time.

It's easy, as the drought of the century lumbers on, to focus on the cowherd as you scramble and scratch for ways to weather another dry year. But what about the bulls?

Drought has retreated in much of eastern Oklahoma - based on the latest Drought Monitor. A part of LeFlore County in eastern Oklaoma is no longer in drought or even is listed as being abnormally dry. The amount of the state in drought - moderate or worse - has dropped from 99.3% down to 85% in this latest release.