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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.

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.

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.

Cattle prices held steady last week, but packer margins continue climbing in the greatest squeeze on cattlemen in memory without the influence of a specific black swan event. Pork producers are experiencing euphoria.

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.

Modest increases in cash prices for cattle and hogs helped boost average feeding profit margins the final week of February, while margins for beef and pork packers declined.

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.