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Feedlot closeouts continue ending on positive notes.

Cattle feeders turned a profit for the eighth consecutive week.

Cattle feeders saw positive margins on closeouts for the ninth consecutive week.

Feedyard margins declined $28 per head last week to total an average loss of $70 per head, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker.

Feedyard margins dropped another $20 last week to total an average loss of $90 per head, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker.

Calling losses of $193 per head an improvement may be painful, but it’s accurate.

A decline of $5 per cwt in cash fed cattle prices pushed cattle feeding margins $60 per head lower, leaving losses at $120 per head, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker.

With cash cattle prices tumbling another $4 per cwt lower, cattle feeding margins fell accordingly.

Last week’s $4-plus rally in cash fed cattle prices cut average feedyard losses in half, leaving the red ink totaling $90 on every animal shipped.

Last week’s market rally helped feedyards erase much of their red ink, but not all.