Beef packer margins remained positive ($21.63/head) but down from the prior week as last week’s kill was cattle priced at $242.62 against the Comprehensive Cutout of $404.37/cwt. last week, which was down from $409.20 a week earlier.
At the same time, feedlot margins averaged $668/head compared to $704/head the prior week. Wholesale beef prices, though still historically strong continued to soften at the current week (Sept. 15) begins.
Fed cattle plants averaged 78% utilization while utilization of cow plant capacity averaged 68% last week.
View the full Sterling Beef Profit Tracker for the week ending Sept. 13.
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.)
