Latest News From Fed Cattle

There was never enough need by any packer to push the market but could be a sign they may be getting shorter on committed cattle. Regional packers seem to have cooled down in the North.

Feedyard sales continue to slide lower though marketings are seen as current. Drought is forcing ranchers to trim their herds but cull cow prices are holding firm.

Current data on beef cow slaughter, combined with historical price performance of cattle markets after reaching an inventory low point, provides some insight for cattle price trends for the second half of 2022 and 2023.

Based on the data, it’s impossible to establish any meaningful link between beef imports and the packer and fed cattle prices.

None of the smaller beef export markets account for more than 1.5% of the total, but many small markets are growing and contributing to a more robust set of export markets for U.S. beef. 

America's largest food distributor has filed suit in Texas alleging the Big 4 packing companies conspired to fix prices since 2015.

Packers regained much of their leverage last week and prices inched lower. Feeders will struggle to hold prices at a similar level this week.

Fed cattle prices weakened slightly following the long holiday weekend, but prices for feeder cattle and calves continue a contra-seasonal advance. Beef demand remains at a high level.

Exactly how continuing drought, reduced forage production and high feed prices will impact cattle and beef markets in the coming months remains uncertain. 

Fundamentals for fed cattle are steadily at odds so far this summer with very “green” fed cattle in the northern tier of the feeding region. Feeders are pushing show lists to take advantage of the summer high.

Sen. Chuck Grassley sees his "years-long beef with Big Cattle" soon to be settled. The policy he touts is meant to normalize packer margins, but the market's swinging pendulum is doing that without government intrusion.

Dean and Jared Lerwick plan to re-open the former Packerland facility located in the Nebraska panhandle to harvest 40 head of local cattle per day.

Western Legacy Development Corporation's proposed large packing plant has Rapid City, S.D., residents and city officials seeking more details on how the project may impact the region. Meeting set for Thursday in Wall.

It will take much of the remainder of the year for feedlots to work through the current inventory and we can’t be sure what additional impacts the drought may have in the coming months. 

Prices in the North continued to trade premium to the South while wholesale beef prices inched lower for the week. USDA's cattle on feed report looks positive for next week's markets.

The Senate Agriculture Committee advanced two bills aimed at making cattle markets more transparent and competitive, with Sen. Chuck Grassley declaring his "years-long beef with Big Cattle" close to being settled.

The Cattle Price Transparency Act of 2022 would subject every cattle producer in the country to a business-altering government mandate, says NCBA.

The U.S. Cattlemen's Association president says the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act needs support from ranchers to get the legislation across the finish line.

The U.S. Cattlemen's Association president says the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act needs support from ranchers to get the legislation across the finish line.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly says her administration is working to help Kansas cattle feeders who experienced death losses due to the mid-June heat wave.

Packers in the Northern region remain short on cattle which helped boost the price for a second consecutive week.

Active cash cattle trade in the northern feeding region led to a $4 to $5 rally this week even as an early season heat wave gripped the plains states.

Consumer concerns with inflation are quite real and retail beef values closed out the first quarter 15% higher than last year. Even so, the end user beef market has gained a widening appreciation for Prime beef.

With the extreme heat in cattle feeding areas there have been reports of death losses.

Cash fed cattle prices turned higher late week with Kansas trading Friday morning and were rewarded for their patience.

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service raised its forecast for total U.S. red meat and poultry production in its monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) on Friday.

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.

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.

Lower average cattle prices last week cut average feedyard margins by $43 per head last week, while pork producers saw a $5 per head increase in average margins.

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.

Feeding a calf is an investment. Consider these breed, weight, health and carcass qualities when selecting the animal to get started on the right foot and economically fill the freezer!

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.

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. 

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. 

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.