Fed Cattle
These images depict a steer calf that had been on feed for 272 days with no treatment history when it was found dead in the pen.
Rising costs have forced stoppage of construction on the expansion of Iowa Premium’s beef slaughter facility in Tama, Iowa, the company confirmed Thursday.
Grocery retailer Giant Eagle alleges the nation’s large beef packing companies have exploited their market power to limit the supply of beef and raise prices in a new lawsuit filed in Chicago on Wednesday.
When it comes to feeder cattle prices, 2014 was a year to remember. What if we apply those prices to today’s cattle feeding scenario? How would margins fair?
International trade is an essential part of the U.S. beef industry. It’s also the topic that seemingly generates more interest among producers than any other major issue within the business.
As we move into June, cattle markets are transitioning into summer mode, reflecting seasonality and a myriad of other factors which are currently impacting markets.
Declining carcass weights and the search for higher-grading cattle may lead to a market rebound sooner than expected.
With the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act top of mind for many cattle producers, director of government relations at the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, Cora Fox, shares her thoughts on the bill.
Carcass weights in the latest USDA report for the week of May 9th show a large seven pound drop for steers and 10 pounds lighter on the heifers. This suggests currentness has picked up in the fed-cattle sector.
An 8,000-head per day state-of-the-art beef processing facility utilizing robotics and other high-tech features was announced in Rapid City last week. Groundbreaking would be as early as next year.
The city of Amarillo has approved incentives to encourage Producer Owned Beef, LLC, to locate their proposed new packing facility at a site in the Texas city near I-40.
Cattle feeders saw prices erode last week and have a summer slump in sight with large on-feed inventories and increasing costs of gain.
Negotiated cash cattle prices were $2 softer last week in a moderate to active trade. Friday’s Cattle on Feed report reported an inventory of 12.0 million head, up 2% from last year while a 1.3% decline was anticipated.
The cattle placement pattern beginning in the fourth quarter of 2021 shows the finished cattle supply will start to swell in June and could become a 20,000 head surplus over a year ago.
This week could be very unpredictable in the cattle trade. The North-to-South spread may continue to narrow as calves are still not ready and packers seem to be chasing more mature cattle in the South.
Beef prices have been notably higher this year and demand will remain key as supplies tighten into 2023 with consumers continuing to face ramped inflation.
Boxed beef prices have come down from a period of extremely strong demand and adjusted down from a counter-seasonal January peak to current levels, 11.2 percent lower compared to the last week of January.
Opponents of American Foods Group’s proposed Missouri packing plant have appealed the conditional permit granted for the facility and a hearing is scheduled for later this month.
“Don’t shoot where the duck is. Shoot where he’s going to be.” It’s a lesson Steve Cornett thinks some young cattle folk need to consider.
The fast pace of cow slaughter thus far implies the likelihood of significant beef cow herd liquidation in 2022. The next few months will likely have impacts on the cattle industry for several years.
The number of heifers on feed does not suggest heifer retention for herd expansion, and the current pace of cow slaughter suggests the beef cow herd could decline up to four percent in 2022.
Cattle sold steady to firm and cattle feeders should still have a few weeks to try to push the market higher before cattle inventories increase.
Cash cattle trade was active at steady prices while cattle futures saw sharp losses triggered by USDA’s bearish Cattle on Feed report, with chart breakdowns fueling technical selling.
All four bosspackers testified in Washington this week, and none of our elected congressbeings made anybody squirm.
Prior to testimony at the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Wednesday, Tyson Foods Inc. President and CEO Donnie King released a statement to give his perspective about cattle and beef market practices.
Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.), ranking panel member reveals he had ‘spirited conversations’ and ‘unsuccessfully attempted to secure the expert opinion of the Office of the Chief Economist on S 4030.’
Cattle will continue to come in lighter than expected and lose grade due to high ration costs. This could help keep forcing the packer to harvest more cattle than expected to keep their orders filled.
Cash cattle prices saw a surprising but welcome rally ahead of Friday’s Cattle on Feed report, which looks bearish for next week’s futures markets. COF totaled 12.1 million head, 1.7% higher than last year.
Working group of ag economists assess Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act of 2022