Fed Cattle
The Justice Department says it has filed a memo in federal court with its recommended sentence for Washington rancher and cattle feeder Cody Easterday who pleaded guilty in a $244 million “ghost cattle” scheme.
AgDay national reporter Betsy Jibben talked with buyers and sellers at a feeder cattle auction in Northern Indiana. She traveled to Shipshewana, Indiana.
The Cattle Price Transparency Act of 2022 would subject every cattle producer in the country to a business-altering government mandate, says NCBA.
Monday’s reveal of the Senate’s updated cattle market reform bill generated some strong opinions from a cross-section of industry stakeholders, but no consensus.
After a rally during the first week of 2016 to $134.04 per hundredweight, the 5-Area Accumulated Average Cattle Price dropped to $132.30 per hundredweight.
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.
America’s cattle feeders earned an average of $323 on a cash basis for every steer and heifer they sent to market during the first eight months of 2017.
Packer margins improved $55 per head last week as Choice beef cutout values gained nearly $4 per cwt and cash cattle prices declined $1 per cwt.
Cattle feeding losses averaged $83 per head last week, while packers recorded $168 per head profits, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker.
While cash cattle prices slipped only modestly, cattle feeders saw margins erode by $86 per head, falling from an average profit of $38 two weeks ago to an average loss of $49 per head last week.
AgriTalk host Chip Flory discusses the status of the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act with Senators Deb Fischer and Chuck Grassley.
The many moving pieces in grid marketing make it a bit of a chess game, but learning to play opens more opportunity for big wins. Ranchers can target cow herd genetics toward factors driving value in the supply chain.
Price discovery in today’s fed cattle market “appears to be functioning effectively in even the thinnest regional fed cattle markets,” according to an analysis by University of Arkansas agricultural economists.
While Dale Durcholz does think there’s potential for a grain production number shift, he says the winter farmers and feed yards have faced is more likely to be the cause of a grain stocks shift lower.
Late fall holiday demand heats up the cattle market, and that’s when high-quality carcasses get extra bragging rights. Demand alone doesn’t spur prices higher, there must be a degree of supply constraint.
America’s dairy industry has been robust the last several decades. Now, larger average dairies are producing more beef-dairy crossbred calves that are much higher quality for producing beef.
Cattle prices moved moderately higher in both the North and the South last week as the declining supply of market-ready cattle gradually shifting leverage toward feedyards.
The combination of tightening supplies and packers seeking higher-grading inventory helped push cash prices a little higher last week.
Once operational in late 2024, American Foods Group’s new beef facility in Warren County, Missouri, will process 2,400 head of cattle per day.
A lot has changed since the last drought-induced beef cow liquidation a decade ago. Recognizing those changes is important going into and coming out of the cycle lows.
While all packers were in the market for cattle last week, none were aggressive enough to push the cash market any higher than steady.
Cash fed cattle traded flat with most activity on Thursday ahead of Friday’s CME futures rally. Expectations of tighter cattle supplies this fall supports bullish ideas for prices.
Even though prices have been exceptional for calves and feeder cattle, feedlot breakeven projections are rapidly moving higher, discouraging ranchers to consider retaining ownership.
Buying for a holiday-shortened week, packers were not aggressive and prices suffered. This week should produce more robust trading.
Cattle in all categories traded mostly lower ahead of the Labor Day weekend. Packers head into next week with smaller inventories and cattle owners hope that encourages more aggressive bidding.
Closer evaluation of factors driving today’s cattle markets do not suggest a ‘broken market,’ but rather strengthening prices which are the result of increasing consumer beef demand - both domestic and international.
Marbling has more influence on tenderness, juiciness and flavor of cooked beef than the other types of fat. As a result, marbling and Beef Quality Grades are typically the biggest driver of beef carcass value.
Sustainable Beef LLC received a giant boost in its efforts to bring a new, 1,500 head per day beef processing facility online with a commitment from Walmart.
Investment in better genetics, management, research, and promotion have all proven to make a difference towards bolstering demand. Consumers have more awareness of, and access to, high-quality beef products than ever.
Cash cattle trade was called moderate in all regions but estimated cattle slaughter will be higher this week. Auction prices for both calves and feeder cattle were stronger.