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Profit margins for both cattle and hog finishing operations saw modest gains last week but also carry significantly higher feed costs than a year ago.

Negative margins continue growing for beef packers as tightening supplies of cattle support cash prices $17 per cwt. higher than the same week a year ago.

Beef packers saw per head losses nearly double last week as wholesale beef prices tumbled $7 per cwt. lower. Pork processors are also found negative margins and producer margins remain short of breakeven.

Packer margins remain in the red even as wholesale beef prices rallied $9 per cwt. and cash cattle prices were near steady.

Spiking wholesale beef prices the week before Christmas helped lift packer margins into the black while increasing cattle feeding margins.

Cattle feeders are finding modest profits on market-ready cattle early in the New Year, but replacement feeder cattle prices are driving projected breakevens to eight-year highs.

Cattle feeding margins narrowed significantly last week while pork producer margins remain mired in red ink the first weeks of the new year.

Average cattle feeding margins were near steady last week despite weaker cash prices. Pork producer margins slipped further into the red as lean carcass prices dropped more than 3% for the week.

Rising production costs and steady to weaker cash prices trimmed cattle feeding margins to near breakeven levels. Pork producer margins remain solidly in the red.

Cattle prices moved higher last week but cattle feeding margins remain modest. The supply-demand fundamentals are trending in favor of cattle feeders.