Fed cattle treaded steady in the South to weaker in the North, with wholesale beef prices posting additional declines for the week. Friday's cattle on feed report was as advertised and will be viewed as neutral.
On a percentage basis, beef packer margins declined significantly last week. It's all relative, of course, since the starting point from the previous week was stunning.
Cash cattle trade began on Tuesday last week, but bids were scarce even at lower money. Some feeders held strong for higher money, but with the decline in the CME board a higher market never surfaced.
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.
Negotiated cash cattle traded started at higher money mid-week, but in their rush to move cattle some feeders agreed to lower prices and the week ended on a softer note.
The post-Thanksgiving negotiated trade was mixed, with higher prices mid-week, falling off $1 to $2 by week's end. Feeder cattle sold uneven, $2 lower to $3 higher.
The first shipments of the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand arrived in China in November, ushering in the potential for a new, powerful buyer for high-quality U.S. beef.
Cattle and hog feeding operations saw their margins remain modestly profitable last week with little movement in cash prices. Both cattle and hog feeding margins are higher than last year at the same time.
The Choice beef cutout price has rallied nearly $30 in November while cash fed cattle prices have gained just $5. As a result, packer margins have increased while feeding margins struggle to remain above water.
Cattle and hog finishing margins are both modestly positive for the seventh consecutive week, though hog margins saw a slight decline with lower lean carcass prices.
Did outside factors or did cash trade cresting at $110 create the sell off Friday? This week’s cash bids from the packer might be the best answer to that question.
Market analysts see signs that feedyards have significantly reduced the COVID-19-induced backlog of cattle and are regaining currentness, also a key factor in the recent market rally.
The rally in the cattle markets continued this week with solid gains in both cash fed cattle and the boxed beef cutout. Cash cattle prices are now at a level not seen since late June.
Closeouts on cattle and hogs marketed last week remain modestly profitable for the sixth consecutive week, according to calculations by Sterling Marketing.
Cattle markets entered November with solid gains across all sectors. Fed cattle rebounded with higher prices in all regions while feeder cattle jumped $2 to $7 per cwt.
Cattle and hog finishing margins remain positive for the sixth consecutive week, but cash prices for both declined modesty last week and margins eroded.
Beef packers could be moving into a period with smaller inventories, which may prompt them to push prices higher. CME futures prices will again have an impact on the cash trade.
Last week’s early winter storm exposed cattle to cold, wet conditions, but also brought much-needed moisture to the nation’s wheat belt reviving prospects for winter grazing.
Wide regional variations in prices for fed cattle were found this week and the cash trade was slow to develop. The season's first winter storm affected the sales and movement of both fed and feeder cattle.
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.
A large winter storm is advancing across the central U.S. bringing cold temperatures and some much-needed moisture. Feedlots continued to build inventory during September leading to a record inventory for Oct. 1.
Both CME cattle futures and cash prices were lower for the second consecutive week. USDA's cattle on feed report found a record October 1 inventory as September placements were called 6% higher.
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.
Profitability for both cow-calf and feedyards is projected to improve in 2021, Sterling Marketing president John Nalivka told AgriTalk host Chip Flory.
Fed cattle prices have steadily increased since the second week in September, adding roughly $7/cwt. to the short-term low at that time. Last week saw early trade mostly at $108 to $109/cwt.
Average cattle and hog finishing margins are both positive for the third consecutive week, according to calculations in the Sterling Marketing Profit Tracker.
Cull cows represent about 20% of the gross income in commercial cow calf operations, so understanding the major factors impacting cull cow prices is important to your bottom line.
There are many dynamics in cattle slaughter markets in the fourth quarter that will determine total slaughter for the year, but an early analysis suggests a 2.5% decline.
At a point in history when a novel virus dominates the news cycle and impacts our lives daily, another novel virus has emerged in the United States – this time, in the cattle population.
A fall rally in cash fed cattle markets has added $5 to $6 per cwt. over the past three weeks. Feeder cattle remain in moderate demand, but drought conditions across much of the Great Plains is affecting cattle markets.
As the COVID-19 pandemic brought beef shortages, consumers may have noticed some different cuts of beef when their traditional selections were sold out.
The early trade released any pressure on packers to acquire available inventory and made it easier for them to achieve their buy. The majority of the cash trade in the South was from two packers.
Packers aggressively sought inventory last week and cash fed cattle prices surged $2 per cwt., to instances of $3 higher for the week. Large trade volumes were reported in the North at $107 to $108 per cwt.
For building beneficial relationships and their drive to produce the best, M&M Feeders earned the 2020 Feedyard Commitment to Excellence Award from the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand.
Large volumes of cattle traded in all regions at $2 higher prices ahead of Friday's cattle on feed report which counted 4% more inventory than last September.
It seems as though marketing has always been kept at an arms-length from production agriculture. Until recently, raising cattle has been well-defined just as the name says – raising cattle.
A fourth-generation Minnesota farmer has spent more than two decades seeking an
alternative crop. His solution—hybrid rye—offers a low-maintenance small
grain that pairs well with livestock & boosts sustainability
NCBA released a statement highlighting federal programs that are available for cattle producers across the country who are being impacted by wildfires, hurricanes, drought, and other natural disasters.
China has suspended imports from an OK Foods poultry plant in Fort Smith, Arkansas, because of coronavirus cases among workers, the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council said on Tuesday.
"For too long, cow-calf producers across the nation have marketed our cattle with one hand tied behind our back. The culprit has been an ever-growing lack of price discovery."
Wisconsin beef processor Strauss Brands is seeking approval to build a new 152,000 square-foot packing facility that will process between 250 and 500 head per day.