Lil’ Bill, Calf Born Premature Defies the Odds At Mississippi State

Placements of calves on feed for the slaughter market in the U.S. for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 head or more totaled 11.7 million head, as of Nov. 1, 2018. The inventory was 3% above the Nov. 1, 2017 report.

Steady money dominated the market for the sixth consecutive week.  However, winds of change are blowing and steady $111 could be coming to an end. 

Value-added programs don’t necessarily add value to a set baseline price. Rather, they begin by removing some of the discount (risk) that buyers assume exist.

Hedging opportunities for cattle marketed into the beginning of next year are becoming more attractive.

The market proved more positive than feeders anticipated this past week after the bearish Cattle On Feed report coupled with a lower board.

Mounting evidence connects R-CALF and Organization for Competitive Markets With the Humane Society of the United States.

Fed cattle traded steady to $1 higher, supported by gains in CME futures. Feeder cattle were steady to $4 higher.

Feeding margins with red ink will continue into September, but in general the losses are not crippling.

Weather and forage conditions over the next several weeks could have a major impact on female prices this fall.