Beef Production
USDA’s APHIS is awarding more than $3.2 million to create antimicrobial resistance dashboards to improve access to information on antimicrobial resistance in domesticated animals.
Meanwhile, service prices and the core index (which excludes food and energy) remain high, with the core CPI descending to 4.8%.
Last week produced the lowest feed costs and lowest break evens for pigs placed in the finish barns since December 2021. Cattle feeders also saw declining feeding costs.
We know that the cattle market runs in cycle. Lee Schulz shares tips for how beef cattle producers can understand cattle cycles and how to make decisions accordingly.
This slump, deeper than May’s 7.5% drop, represents the largest decline since February 2020.
Pinkeye is a painful eye disease that affects cattle worldwide. Here’s a look at the causes, signs, treatment, control and prevention of pinkeye, provided by K-State’s Beef Cattle Institute.
Although limitations exist, the Fecal Egg Count Reduction Test to assess the efficacy of parasite control programs is the only practical method of determining the presence of resistance in cattle nematodes.
Summertime in July means there are often two pasture requirements: shade and reliable water. There is plenty of debate whether shade is required or not in arid parts of the country as well as beyond the pasture setting.
Beef imports will continue to be supported by higher domestic beef prices and the reduction in U.S. processing beef supplies due to reduced cow slaughter.
Packers searching for cattle last week hinted at their looming predicament – showlists too small to utilize current industry capacity.
If there was an industry-wide BOLO system (be on the lookout), packers would have used it this week as they seek to build an inventory of market-ready cattle to fill their post-July 4th needs.
Attractive wholesale beef prices have encouraged packers to give up some inventory with aggressive slaughter numbers. Packers may need to get creative in the weeks ahead as numbers decline.
Satellite technology and remote monitoring systems keep the water flowing on the Bar T Bar Ranch, Arizona, with the ability to quickly change water flow, start pumps, or turn off water — directly from a mobile phone.
Cattle feeders saw modest profits for the 10th consecutive week, a headline-worthy observation in normal times. The beef complex is not operating in normal times.
Average feedyard closeouts saw modest profits for cattle last week as cash prices improved. Hog finishing margins declined from near breakeven to a loss of $6 per head.
Industry-wide average cattle feeding closeouts were printed in red ink last week for the first time since late September, while packers saw another significant decline to their margins.
Average cattle feeding margins improved $20 per head last week, which beef packer margins declined 17%. Farrow-to-finish operations recorded per head losses for the fourth consecutive week.
Higher grain prices and lower cash livestock prices contributed to a decline in feeding margins last week, leaving closeouts showing red ink for both cattle and hogs.
Beef packer leverage is evident with cash cattle prices $7 per cwt. lower than the same week a year ago and beef cutout prices $23 per cwt. higher. Pork producers are gaining leverage with a $5 per cwt. price rally.
Cattle and hog feeding both saw solid average profits for the week ending April 2, boosted by higher average farmgate prices. Cattle were positive for the second week, while positive hog margins entered a third month.
Cattle and hog feeding operations are experiencing the highest market prices since before the pandemic began more than a year ago. Hog margins were positive for the 11th consecutive week.
Cattle and hog feeding operations are in the midst of their most profitable time since before the pandemic began. Cattle margins nearly doubled last week and hog margins were positive for the 10th consecutive week.
Profit margins for cattle and hogs continue trending in opposite directions as feedyard closeouts slipped below breakeven and hog margins saw another boost from higher prices.
Market hogs sold last week earned an average profit margins nearly four times that of fed steers. That’s mainly due to a rally that has added more than $20 per cwt. to lean hog carcass prices over the past month.
Cattle and hog finishing margins were headed in opposite directions last week, with lean hog prices enjoying a three-week rally while cattle prices were stuck in neutral for a second week.
Market hogs found twice the profit margin of fed steers last week due to a rally that has added nearly $22 per cwt. to lean hog carcass prices over the past month, while cash cattle prices have been stuck in neutral.
Cash prices for both cattle and hogs advanced last week leaving feeding margins for both species solidly in the black. Hog margins were positive for the eighth consecutive week and cattle climbed out of the red.
Cattle feeding margins improved $60 per head the week ending Feb. 12 and hog margins reported profits for the second consecutive week as lean hog prices rallied.
Cattle feeding margins were little changed from the previous week with modest profits. Hog feeding margins were boosted for a third week with another advance in lean carcass prices.
Cattle feeders saw average profit margins exceed $200 per head last week while pork producers found losses of $44 per head, according to the Sterling Profit Trackers.