Latest News From Livestock Markets

We’re in a predictable period of a well-established supply and demand cycle. Yet there is a different potential crisis looming for the beef cattle industry.

Here are the key market headwinds ahead for the cattle industry.  

Colin Woodall, NCBA CEO, says the DOJ has an “obligation” to provide full transparency and finish the investigation to give cattle producers the full scope of the issue.

A new USDA Market News Mobile Application will provide the supply chain with instant access to current and historical market information, including over 800 livestock, poultry, and grain reports.

Market dynamics and consumer shifts support U.S. beef.

AgriTalk’s Chip Flory is accompanied by Iowa Cattlemen’s CEO Matt Deppe on Tuesday as they discuss the new Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act that U.S. Senators are expected to propose in coming days.

Dr. Pat Westhoff joins AgriTalk’s Chip Flory to share his spin on the latest trends in crop markets, livestock outlooks and projections for net farm income.

The senator supports legislative action because of concerns that small producers are losing money on cattle due to being unable to spot market.

An unprecedented meeting held in May among major cattle industry representatives, typically at odds, has produced plans for change and calls for answers from U.S. lawmakers. Keep up with the latest on this page.

The more than $900 margin between producers and packers has the largest industry representatives, that are typically at odds, working together.

In just a few buck-wild months in 2015, a Texas grifter pulled off a swindle nearing $100M, and turned the cattle industry into his playground, stirring more cash than some of the largest beef companies in the U.S.

Driven by higher estimates for pork, the China total meat import forecasts were revised up for both 2020 and 2021, according to the USDA Livestock and Poultry World Markets and Trade report.

China has suspended imports from an OK Foods poultry plant in Fort Smith, Arkansas, because of coronavirus cases among workers, the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council said on Tuesday.

Cattle futures closed mostly higher for the third consecutive trading session Friday. According to Pro Farmer, August live cattle settled unchanged, while deferred contracts posted modest price gains Friday.

Even though some Midwestern areas aren’t back to normalcy yet, some analysts believe meat demand will be strong.

Brazilian labor prosecutors are suing meatpacker JBS SA seeking damages and better work conditions after an outbreak of the novel coronavirus at a meat plant in Ipumirim, in the southern state of Santa Catarina.

CoBank estimates meat supplies at grocery stores could shrink nearly 30% by Memorial Day, leading to prices rising by as much as 20%. Some cattle producers say they are barely hanging on due to futures prices.  

The latest shock to the industry is the daily boxed beef price. On Thursday, it hit a record of $364.62. That is a jump of $30 over Wednesday, a two-thirds increase from the lows in February.

U.S. hog and live cattle futures eased on Wednesday, with the cash market for the animals weak as processing plants were forced to shut down due to the coronavirus outbreak, traders said.

The cattle market has been dynamic over the last couple of weeks. Consumers have been hoarding meat due to COVID-19 while the futures and cash prices are not necessarily reflecting it.

Estimated cattle industry losses due to COVID-19 will reach $13.6 billion, according to a study by ag economists conducted to assist USDA in determining how best to allocate CARES Act relief funds to cattle producers.

Producers watch to see if retail beef demand will continue its slow decline as consumers’ freezers are now packed with meat. There’s a discussion on market manipulation and if there’s a need for an investigation.

The hog herd is expanding. That’s according to the USDA Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report. Numbers are increasing in all categories compared to one year ago. How expansion continues amid COVID-19 is anyone’s guess.

Fears of the coronavirus continue to haunt the stock market despite the Federal Reserve’s efforts to calm it. Live cattle prices have dropped to numbers producers and traders haven’t seen in nearly a decade.

AgDay visited a feeder cattle auction at the Shipshewana Trading Place in Shipshewana, Indiana to find out what prices were like there to kick off 2020.

Earlier at the Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show, USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue addressed the scare of the coronavirus to the beef industry. It still remains a threat today.

USDA’s Cattle Report shows the expansion stage is coming to an end. The total inventory as of January 1 is 94.4 million head, down slightly from 94.8 million head a year ago. It’s not a surprise to industry.

Dive into the headwinds and tailwinds for the four major crops so you can smartly plan your 2020 production and marketing decisions.

The Dow Jones fell after topping the 29,000 mark Friday. However, some market analysts say a climbing stock market may mean more money in the cattle markets.

Here is your weekly grain and livestock market outlook and review for Nov. 25 from the economic experts at Doane Advisory Services.

African swine fever (ASF) could be the biggest event in animal protein for years, as the devastating disease spreads beyond China’s borders.

How a single packing plant fire shook up the cattle markets.

China has been buying a lot of U.S. pork recently. Yet, the hog market may not see as big of a boost as what producers want with the news. Tyne Morgan discusses why, in this AgDay analysis.

Strong global, domestic demand provides a bright spot for U.S. grain.

The indefinite closure of Tyson's Holcomb, Kan., facility creates the potential the cattle "marketing pace will slow down and carcass weights will increase."

The market is digesting the mid-year Cattle Inventory Report. The report released Friday shows the expansion of the nation's beef herd may be coming to an end.

Cash fed cattle rallied $3 to $5 per cwt. for the week ending July 12, jumping from $109 in the pre-holiday week to $114 to $116 on Friday.

April placements of cattle on feed totaled 9% more than a year ago, with marketings 7% higher.

Grilling season is here and Memorial Day marks one of the biggest meat consumption weekends of the year. Chicken has been the champion protein in recent weeks, with restaurants driving much of the demand.

April placements of cattle on feed totaled 9% more than a year ago, with marketings 7% higher.

China made its second-largest purchase of U.S. pork this week. Rabobank says China will need to continue to source protein from the U.S., as the list of countries able to export is short.

Bill Bullard joins AgriTalk to discuss R-CALF USA's lawsuit, alleging that beef packers Tyson, Cargill, JBS and National Beef, had engaged in collusion to unlawfully depress prices paid to U.S. cattle producers.

Bill Bullard joins AgriTalk to discuss R-CALF USA's lawsuit, alleging that beef packers Tyson, Cargill, JBS and National Beef, had engaged in collusion to unlawfully depress prices paid to U.S. cattle producers.

Livestock farmers are facing a combination of headwinds and tailwinds—as well as a lot of unknowns.

Cattle markets finding strong fundamental reasons to remain positive despite the threat of disruption from trade negotiations.

Cattle markets finding strong fundamental reasons to remain positive despite the threat of disruption from trade negotiations.

Sometimes, the slightest of differences between groups of feeder cattle can significantly affect their value when sold as fats. Understanding these subtle nuances can help you more effectively market your future calf crops.

Sometimes, the slightest of differences between groups of feeder cattle can significantly affect their value when sold as fats. Understanding these subtle nuances can help you more effectively market your future calf crops.

Rabo AgriFinance says the live cattle and feeder cattle markets are out of balance right now; a sign that lower feeder cattle prices could be on the horizon.

Rabo AgriFinance says the live cattle and feeder cattle markets are out of balance right now; a sign that lower feeder cattle prices could be on the horizon.