The situation with margins remains about unchanged in the beef industry with packers continuing to face red ink while feedlots are banking positive margins against breakeven prices in the mid-$170s for those cattle.
Negotiated Choice steer prices averaged $212/cwt last week and $4/cwt higher than the previous week while the Composite Cutout $332.08/cwt compared to $335.53/cwt the previous week.
View the full Sterling Beef Profit Tracker for the week ending April 19.
The Beef and Pork Profit Trackers are calculated by Sterling Marketing, Vale, Ore.
(Note: The Sterling Beef Profit Tracker calculates an average beef cutout value for the week in its estimates for feedyard and packer margins. Other prices in the weekly Profit Tracker also are calculated weekly averages. Feedyard margins are calculated on a cash basis only with no adjustment for risk management practices. The Beef and Pork Profit Trackers are intended only as a benchmark for the average cash costs of feeding cattle and hogs. Sterling Marketing is a private, independent beef and pork consulting firm not associated with any packing company or livestock feeding enterprise.)
