Cattle and hog finishing margins remain positive for the sixth consecutive week, but cash prices for both declined modesty last week and margins eroded.
Both cattle feeding and hog finishing operations found modest profits for the fifth consecutive week calculated on a cash basis, according to the Sterling Profit Tracker.
Closeouts on cattle and hogs marketed last week remain modestly profitable for the sixth consecutive week, according to calculations by Sterling Marketing.
Cattle and hog finishing margins are both positive for the fourth consecutive week despite the fact cash prices for cattle and hogs were slightly lower last week.
Average cattle and hog finishing margins are both positive for the third consecutive week, according to calculations in the Sterling Marketing Profit Tracker.
Average cattle feeding margins improved $20 per head last week, which beef packer margins declined 17%. Farrow-to-finish operations recorded per head losses for the fourth consecutive week.
Cattle and hog finishing profit margins were little changed from last week, with modest profits for cattle and losses for hogs. Beef packer margins declined again to their lowest mark since March.
Cattle and hog finishing margins were modestly positive the first week of December, marking the 11th consecutive week of profitability. Packer margins remain historically high.
Average feedyard closeouts saw modest profits for cattle last week as cash prices improved. Hog finishing margins declined from near breakeven to a loss of $6 per head.
Industry-wide average cattle feeding closeouts were printed in red ink last week for the first time since late September, while packers saw another significant decline to their margins.
