Latest News From Cattle Market Reports and Analysis

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. 

Cattle feeding margins slipped further into the red last week. 

Cattle feeding margins slipped further into the red last week.

A $1 decline in average fed cattle prices and a $25 per head increase in the cost of feeder cattle pushed cattle feeding losses to $52 per head last week.

A $1 decline in average fed cattle prices and a $25 per head increase in the cost of feeder cattle pushed cattle feeding losses to $52 per head last week, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker.

Last week’s $1 per cwt retreat in cash cattle prices took feedyard margins only modestly lower. 

Last week's $1 per cwt retreat in cash cattle prices took feedyard margins only modestly lower.

Last week’s $2 per cwt cash cattle rally lifted feedyard margins to breakeven. 

The dog days of summer are here for cattle producers as red ink continues seeping into feedlot ledgers.

Cattle feeding margins eroded $62 per head last week, falling $35 into negative territory. 

They’re far from pretty, but cattle feeding margins on a cash basis remain modestly positive.

Cattle feeders continue to find modest positive margins on cattle marketed, despite a significant year-over-year decline in cash fed cattle prices.

It took a $5 rally in fed cattle prices, but feedyard margins topped $50 per head last week, the Sterling Profit Tracker reveals.

It took a $5 rally in fed cattle prices, but feedyard margins topped $50 per head last week, the Sterling Profit Tracker reveals. Profits were limited by a $33 per head increase in the cost of feeder cattle factored aga

Beef packer margins increased $6 per head, resulting in average profits of $198 on every animal processed. Packer margins are about $72 per head better than a month ago.

Beef packer margins increased $6 per head, resulting in average profits of $198 on every animal processed. Packer margins are about $72 per head better than a month ago.

Cattle feeding profits declined $20vper head last week, yet closeouts remained $11 in the black. 

Cattle feeding profits declined $180 per head last week, yet closeouts remained $32 in the black.

A cash market rally helped add $62 per head to feedyard margins last week, ending with total average profits of $212 per head, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker. 

A cash market rally helped add $62 per head to feedyard margins last week, ending with total average profits of $212 per head, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker.

Feedyard margins remained about $150 per head last week despite a $6 per cwt. retreat in cash cattle prices. 

Feedyard margins remained about $150 per head last week despite a $6 per cwt. retreat in cash cattle prices.

Cattle feeders turned a tidy profit last week despite a $2 retreat in cash cattle prices. 

Cattle feeders turned a tidy profit last week despite a $2 retreat in cash cattle prices.

Cattle feeders finally found profitability last week after cattle markets posted a $6 to $7 per cwt. rally. 

Feedyards are as close to breaking even on a cash basis as they’ve been during any point in the past 18 months. 

Most analysts expected feedyards to be near breakeven by the time the calendar turned to May. May is here and the underperforming cash fed cattle market has kept feedyards struggling.

Most analysts expected feedyards to be near breakeven by the time the calendar turned to May. May is here and the underperforming cash fed cattle market has kept feedyards struggling.

Cash fed cattle prices retreated $7.77 per cwt. last week. As a result, closeouts added another $75 of red ink. 

Cash fed cattle prices retreated $7.77 per cwt. last week. As a result, closeouts added another $75 of red ink. It was a disappointing setback, as closeouts were as close to break even as they had been in more than a ye

Cash cattle prices may have been stuck in neutral last week, but cattle feeders saw an impressive gain in margins as the price of feeder cattle factored into closeouts dropped significantly. 

Cattle feeders generally expected margins to be much better by now. An anticipated spring rally that could have erased a lot of red ink has failed to materialize, leaving feedyard closeouts stuck in neutral with near $200 losses.

Cattle feeding margins gained only modestly, despite the fact feeder cattle factored into closeouts were $40 per head less than the previous week. 

Easter week produced a $3 per cwt. decline in fed cattle prices and a $73 erosion in cattle feeding margins. 

The march toward break even for cattle feeders stumbled last week as average losses increased $36 per head, leaving closeouts $113 in the red, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker.

For the first time in over a year, average cattle feeding losses are out of triple digits, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker. 

It’s the best signal cattle feeders have seen in many months. 

It's the best signal cattle feeders have seen in many months. Average closeouts lost less money than the previous week despite the fact cash fed cattle prices retreated $1 per cwt.

Feedyard margins are slowing erasing the red ink. 

Last week’s $2 per cwt. rally in cash fed cattle prices helped feedyard closeouts improve nearly $100 per head.

Last week’s $3 per cwt. decline in cash fed cattle prices dealt another cruel blow to feedyard closeouts. 

Feedyard closeouts declined an average of $20 per head, leaving losses at $265 per head last week, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker.

Feedyard closeouts saw a $100 per head improvement last week, bringing losses under the $300 per head mark for the first time in months.

Cattle feeders found a modest improvement of $40 on closeouts last week, but the bottom-line was still $345 in the red. 

Beef packers saw their margins jump more than $86 per head higher last week, leaving average profits at $199, according to calculations by Sterling Marketing, Vale, Ore. 

Beef packers saw their margins jump more than $86 per head higher last week, leaving average profits at $199, according to calculations by Sterling Marketing, Vale, Ore. Cattle feeders saw their losses increase marginal

After a small dip last week to $132.30 per hundredweight, the 5-Area Accumulated Average Cattle Price jumped back up to $133.24 per hundredweight.

The cost of producing one unit of output is extremely important information in any business. It determines your break-even price which, in turn, helps determine pricing decisions and profit margins. It also provides a b

U.S. beef exports in November showed signs of a rebound, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program.

January has arrived. Traditionally this is the time of year when people reflect on the year past and also think about changes that could be made in the New Year to move them toward their goals. As you make plans for thi