Marketing-Communications
Some advice on how ranchers can manage their cattle to improve final quality grade.
Price volatility in the corn, fed and feeder cattle markets can provide opportunity to manage risk exposure.
Weather in the United States has been making a complicated 2011 cattle market even cloudier, ultimately affecting everyone from producers to consumers.
Price activity was beneficial for those in the feeder cattle market, but for cattle feeders the dilemma of placing cattle below breakeven continues.
Live cattle prices and input costs are starting to take their toll on feeder cattle.
The program features certain cuts of beef as well as the farmers that produce them.
Live cattle prices are not keeping pace with input costs and until that changes, the opportunities to lock in profits become less.
By planning ahead, you can help limit risk in your operation.
No improvement for breakevens on cattle entering the feedyard last week.
USDA’s Cold Storage Report is getting a negative read.
Until weakness in the live cattle trade or boxed beef price is apparent, the healthy feeder market should continue.
High corn and ration prices are forcing cattle feeders to be extremely selective in their purchases.
Breakeven projections show cattle feeders are only able to lock in negative margins right now.
Prices make a big difference in a grower’s profitability. So what is the best way for a grower to deal with price volatility?
Following the Eastern Livestock failure, state legislators look at ways to offer farmers more protection when selling livestock.
Beef stocks could reach a near-record low of 400 million pounds this winter.
Breakeven estimates did not change dramatically from previous estimates as weather remains a problem for early February placements.
During the Cattle Industry Convention in Denver, CattleFax reported on the 2011 beef industry outlook.
The headliner of this report is beef replacement heifers, which came in 5% under year-ago.
Weather will probably be the deciding factor determining when the beef cattle industry will shift from liquidation to expansion.
The margin is still negative for cattle being placed on feed.
Cattle feeders are beginning to show less appetite for purchasing feeder cattle at current prices.
USDA’s monthly audit of feedlot activity came in on the bearish side of the average pre-report trade guesses.
The estimate of 2010 red meat and poultry production is raised from last month, reflecting higher production of beef, pork, broilers, and turkey.
While the weather phenomena remains a factor, the Climate Prediction Center isn’t ready to declare drought for 2011.
See where projected breakevens fall for recently purchased feeder cattle .
To date, Eastern Livestock Company owes $130 million to 743 sellers in 30 states.
But hedging breakevens in fat cattle getting difficult given the current price of feeders and grain.