"Lady, can I call you back? I'm moving cattle," Alford said.

The temperature had reached 94 degrees by late morning when he found some shade and returned the call. The high for the day hit 104.

The Burleson County rancher was horseback all morning moving cattle to slightly greener pastures and shipping others to be fed elsewhere.

"I had saved a couple pastures and we're moving to them right now. A few more days -- you won't ride a horse across it," Alford said, explaining that the cracks in the parched ground will be dangerous for a horse to cross.

Relief didn't last long in areas of Texas that received spring rains. Triple-digit temperatures are sapping soil and forages of moisture as drought once again stretches its devastating tentacles across the state.

No appreciable amounts of rain have been received in weeks in many areas of Texas.

This year's drought is beginning to rival the drought of 2006, when agricultural losses reached historic proportions totaling $4.1 billion. Texas AgriLife Extension economists reported in March that losses to farmers and ranchers from drought already totaled nearly $1 billion in the first months of this year.

"This is worse than '06. There's no comparison," said Alford, who owns Alford Cattle in Caldwell.

The rancher received some moisture in March and April, but not enough to fill stock tanks. He said he's not out of drinking water for his stock yet, however.

"Right here where we are, we're probably as bad as anybody," he said.

Hay production is over until it rains again. Alford said one hay meadow where he usually makes up to 175 round bales recently produced only 34.

"We're through with all our hay meadows and we can just park the machinery. There will be no grow-back," he said.

Beef producers will be selling out if the drought continues, he said.

"It sure hasn't gotten any better, particularly for livestock people," said David Anderson, a livestock economist with TexasAgrilife Extension Service. "Mostly you hear about people trying to decide whether to cull cows. Mostly people are moving them to market because they've fed them enough."

Anderson said producers who sell now are culling into a lower-priced market than a month ago.

Cattle prices typically trend lower in summer. Factors such as drought, high production costs and more dairy cattle going to slaughter are driving market prices even lower.

Anderson said many ranchers are selling now instead of waiting.

"We're continuing to reduce the nation's cow herd and dairy herd. I think we can see higher prices next year, just because of the shrinking cow herd," he said. "The potential is still there next year for strong prices if they can last."

At the Brazos Valley Livestock Commission in Bryan, cattle prices are holding steady at the weekly auction, said General Manager Pat Shields.

Shields said the volume of cattle selling each week is greater than this time last year. He added that it's cheaper to replace a cow than keep one in ongoing drought conditions.

"We have 1,800 cattle today [a Tuesday sale]. That's a lot for June -- that's an October run," he said.

Travis Miller, professor and Extension program leader for soil and crop sciences at Texas A&M University in College Station, said temperature and weather patterns are similar to the drought of 2006.

Miller said in the Brazos Valley, extreme drought conditions reach into Burleson County and cover Lee County. Severe drought blankets Brazos County.

"These high temperatures and winds we've been having are guaranteed to dry you out," Miller said.

He cautioned livestock producers to monitor cattle body condition and forage condition for drought stress. He also said producers should keep a cautious eye on the nitrate content of any corn or corn stalks being fed to livestock.

"High levels can be toxic to livestock," Miller said.

He said to also be aware of prussic acid levels. Prussic acid can be a deadly toxin, and it's found in drought-stricken sorghums or johnson grass.

"Just a few bites and they can die," he said.

He noted that prussic acid can break down over time, making some forages edible without being toxic. Visit http://publications.tamu.edu for more information on nitrate and prussic acid.

The forecast doesn't promise any significant improvement over the near term. In other words, expect more of the same.

"It's not going to get better," Miller said.

E-mail Beverly Moseley at beverly.moseley@theeagle.com.