Markets
Fundamental supply and demand have taken control of spot fed cattle values over April Live Cattle futures lows.
Scott Varilek, Kooima Kooima Varilek, says cattle continue to hit all-time highs in cash and futures. While corn is seeing some short covering after new lows for the move on Thursday.
Check out the Sterling Marketing’s Profit Tracker ending the week of May 3.
Brad Kooima, Kooima Kooima Varilek, says cash cattle trade was record high again last week with $223 live paid in much of the North and even a few $224 trades to a regional. Grains are mostly lower.
Scott Varilek, Kooima Kooima Varilek, says cattle futures continue to hold strong with more record cash. While grains are also in the green on value buying and trade hopes.
Check out the Sterling Marketing Profit Tracker for the week ending April 26.
Last week’s 5-area weighted average cash cattle price hit a new high at $216.32, up $3.56 from the previous record set March 21.
Brad Kooima, Kooima Kooima Varilek, says grains are seeing pressure on weather. However, both live and feeder cattle futures are making new contract and all-time highs on last week’s record cash.
Scott Varilek, Kooima Kooima Varilek, says live cattle traded two-sided early Friday as the market awaits larger scale cash development with stronger prices anticipated. Grains are quietly mixed.
Check out the Beef Profit Tracker for week of April 19.
The fed cattle market was sharply higher last week with a $4.29/cwt. upward move.
Brad Kooima, Kooima Kooima Varilek, says grains lose early strength running into chart resistance. While cattle also started higher with the sharply higher cash trade Thursday but faded.
Scott Varilek, Kooima Kooima Varilek, says the slightly higher placements than expectations in the USDA Cattle on Feed Report are not a concern to him. He thinks cash is ultimately king!
Check out the Sterling Marketing Beef Profit Tracker ending April 12.
In times of chaos, it’s best to go back to the basics of basis and price. Effective risk management has little room for mistakes, but that doesn’t mean it has to be perfect.
Brad Kooima, Kooima Kooima Varilek, says cattle are seeing followthrough buying and strength Monday morning as the S&P 500 continues to stabilize and recover after the tariff delays.
Embrace market volatility, and figure out how to use it to your advantage during this time of uncertainty, advises commodity broker Brad Kooima
Arlan Suderman, StoneX Chief Commodities Economist says the markets reacted positively to the 90-day delay on reciprocal tariffs for countries that reached out to negotiate with the U.S. and did not retaliate.
The 2025 fed cattle harvest has run very close to a year ago with the full production weeks averaging 473,000 head, a 1,600-head increase over the same period last year.
Check out Sterling Marketing’s Beef Profit Tracker for week ending April 5.
Check out the Sterling Marketing Beef Profit Tracker ending March 29.
Last week’s fed cattle trade was highlighted by sales late Friday that featured substantially higher prices as packer demand for spot market cattle pressed prices higher in all regions.
The Sterling Marketing Beef Profit Tracker shows current breakeven price in the $170s/cwt compares to $200/cwt for currently placed cattle.
February report confirms cattle on feed, placements and marketing statistics all down.
While tariffs are negative for grain and hog producers, tariffs on U.S. beef and cattle imports have a net effect of tightening supplies and that’s price positive.
Check out the Sterling Marketing’s Profit Tracker ending for week of March 14.
Total beef cattle harvest last week was up 12,000 head from the prior week at 578,000 head, 6,000 head fewer than the same week last year.
Feedlot margins jumped from $198 to $366. Choice steers were up slightly to $201.
Brad Kooima of Kooima Kooima Varilek says live cattle see buying interest after strong cash late last week. Corn tries to hold gains with soybeans seeing South American harvest pressure and concern about China’s 10% tariffs on U.S. soybeans.
Choice steers down $2 from last week with feed costs up. Packer margins still in red.