The tough economics of the cattle business, a reduction in public land grazing permits, beef prices as low as 60 cents a pound from 1983 to 1993, and recent drought-like years have pushed many area ranchers out of the business. Others are still trying to recoup costs from lean years. The 1997 U.S. Department of Agriculture census, completed once every five years, showed 55,880 head of cattle in the Garfield, Eagle and Pitkin county area. Bernklau said cattle prices this fall may begin to push back up toward levels of more than 20 years ago. Dodo said she stays up keeping an eye on the calving cows until 10 p.m. Her husband, Louis, mans the 2 a.m. check, and they are both up working again by 5 a.m.
Every hour is a different situation.
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