Scott Varilek with Kooima Kooima Varilek says after crashing Thursday on fears of a beef plant strike, cattle are recovering on higher cash.
2026 is not the year the cattle cycle “fixes itself.” It is the year the industry learns how to ration a smaller supply base without blowing itself up.
Randy Blach, CEO of CattleFax, says fed cattle cash prices may exceed last year’s but the average will be similar to 2025.
Don Close with Terrain says consumers have not seen sticker shock with the record retail beef prices in the store.
Tyler Schau of AgMarket says cattle futures make new highs for the move on higher cash and the report tailwind. Soybeans followed soybean oil which rallied as Treasury released 45Z guidance and that pulled up corn.
USDA’s annual report reveals the smallest total herd since 1951, with beef cow numbers falling to 27.6 million despite a slight uptick in replacement heifers.
Joe Kooima of Kooima Kooima Varilek says the cattle markets have gotten caught up in the outside market money flow but are also seeing some caution ahead of the USDA semi-annual cattle inventory report to be released Friday.
Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek says he was concerned the trade might view a slightly bearish Cattle on Feed report placement number as a reason to sell but the market was more focused on the higher cash trade Friday.
Live and feeder cattle futures were weaker to start Friday as the market was seeing some profit taking and caution ahead of the USDA Cattle on Feed Report according to Scott Varilek with Kooima Kooima Varilek.
Brad Kooima discusses the drivers behind current cattle market volatility and how supply shortages are shaping packer strategies.
Doug Ferguson explains how he uses sell-buy marketing strategies to maximize profit.
Brad Kooima of Kooima Kooima Varilek says with the confirmation of no cases of NWS in the U.S. the cattle market should rebound Tuesday. However, with outside markets seeing risk off selling that may temper some of the buying interest in cattle.
Joe Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek says cattle futures were down early on liquidation ahead of the three day weekend, lack of fed cash news and a rumor of NWS in the U.S.
Texas A&M’s David Anderson breaks down the current cull cow market and shares his prediction for future cow prices.
Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek says strong cash has been supportive of the cattle futures and he expects a higher week in the fed market again this week. Grains are still digesting USDA’s bearish reports.
UNL predicts closure will result in $3.28 billion in annual statewide economic losses. The analysis projects more than 7,000 jobs lost statewide, including 3,212 plant positions, along with significant reductions in labor income and state and local tax revenues.
Live and feeder cattle futures were lower early Friday but Scott Varilek of Kooima Kooima Varilek says it didn’t take long for the markets to firm up supported by the cash market.
Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek says the recent strength in cattle has been a combination of fund buying and higher cash trade. He predicts that will continue into first quarter of 2026.
Scott Varilek with Kooima Kooima Varilek says cattle futures saw a chart breakout, pushed by fundamental factors. Meanwhile, the soybean market saw technical selling and pressure from mostly favorable weather in South America.
Cattle producers and industry leaders share their concerns as the calendar advances to 2026.
Rich Nelson with Allendale, Inc. says there is a general lack of news for the grain markets so some of the pressure is coming from end of the quarter and end of the year positioning by traders.
Joe Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek says the live and feeder cattle futures board has remained sideways since around Dec. 11. However, there is one thing that could break that trend.
Terrain’s Dave Weaber says placements of cattle into feedlots will continue to shrink, long-feared beef slaughter capacity reductions have arrived, and the beef cow herd hasn’t begun to expand.
Live and feeder cattle futures made new highs for the move Monday morning after a strong close Friday and higher weekly closes. However, the big catalyst is the bullish USDA Cattle on Feed Report data according to Rich Nelson of Allendale, Inc.
Scott Varilek, Kooima Kooima Varilek says live cattle futures are higher despite some lower Northern cash trade. However, this week the trend has been sideways with the market unable to take out chart resistance.
Peel says the best thing politicians can do to help cattle and beef markets is to shut up and let the markets work.
Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek says the cattle futures are overbought after last week’s higher weekly closes. So this is a healthy correction.