Cattle Market Reports and Analysis
With Select supplies shrinking and consumer demand locked on higher-quality beef, the traditional Choice-Select spread no longer tells the real market story.
As beef prices surge 14% higher than last year’s records, market analysts and cattlemen weigh the impact of shifting demographics and the looming threat of government intervention.
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CattleFax’s Holden Ramey says grass plus profitability equals more cattle — but ongoing drought and volatility are slowing herd rebuilding despite strong price signals.
Check out the Sterling Marketing Profit Tracker for week of April 18.
Linnell cites lower marketings, reduced Mexican feeder flows and drought plus heifer retention as drivers of a tighter market.
Check out the Sterling Marketing Profit Tracker for week of April 11.
On the consumer side, demand for beef continues to grow and is reaching record levels. Nebraska Farm Bureau reports an index created by the Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC) to gauge beef demand reached 138 last year, the highest on record and a 10-point jump from 2024.
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Terrain’s Dave Weaber projects 4-6% lower cattle slaughter and 2.5–5% less beef production versus 2025, but record imports, heavier carcass weights and resilient demand keep fed, feeder and calf prices at historic highs.
Check out the Sterling Marketing Profit Tracker for week of March 21.
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How a cattleman’s frustration with paperwork and a passion for innovation led to Herd Advisor — an app turning ranch talk into records.
Check out the Sterling Marketing Profit Tracker for week of Feb. 28.
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CattleFax’s Patrick Linnell predicts a slow, cautious rebuild as aging producers, labor shortages and volatility reshape expansion decisions.
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Beef Profit Tracker: Packer Margins Improve to -$191.89/head, Feeder Margins Improve to $295.48/head
Check out the Sterling Marketing Profit Tracker for week of Jan. 24.
University of Kentucky’s Burdine says low domestic cattle inventory, combined with the ban on live cattle imports from Mexico, continue to keep cattle supplies tight.
Brad Kooima discusses the drivers behind current cattle market volatility and how supply shortages are shaping packer strategies.
Check out the Sterling Marketing Profit Tracker for week of Jan. 17