Pork
Cattle feeders generally expected margins to be much better by now. An anticipated spring rally that could have erased a lot of red ink has failed to materialize, leaving feedyard closeouts stuck in neutral with near $200 losses.
Cash fed cattle prices retreated $7.77 per cwt. last week. As a result, closeouts added another $75 of red ink.
A cash market rally helped add $62 per head to feedyard margins last week, ending with total average profits of $212 per head, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker.
Cattle feeding profits declined $20vper head last week, yet closeouts remained $11 in the black.
Feedyards are as close to breaking even on a cash basis as they’ve been during any point in the past 18 months.
Cattle feeders finally found profitability last week after cattle markets posted a $6 to $7 per cwt. rally.
Cattle feeders turned a tidy profit last week despite a $2 retreat in cash cattle prices.
Feedyard margins remained about $150 per head last week despite a $6 per cwt. retreat in cash cattle prices.
Most analysts expected feedyards to be near breakeven by the time the calendar turned to May. May is here and the underperforming cash fed cattle market has kept feedyards struggling.
A decline of $5 per cwt in cash fed cattle prices pushed cattle feeding margins $60 per head lower, leaving losses at $120 per head, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker.
With cash cattle prices tumbling another $4 per cwt lower, cattle feeding margins fell accordingly.
Cattle feeding margins eroded $62 per head last week, falling $35 into negative territory.
The dog days of summer are here for cattle producers as red ink continues seeping into feedlot ledgers.
Last week’s $2 per cwt cash cattle rally lifted feedyard margins to breakeven.
Last week’s $1 per cwt retreat in cash cattle prices took feedyard margins only modestly lower.
A $1 decline in average fed cattle prices and a $25 per head increase in the cost of feeder cattle pushed cattle feeding losses to $52 per head last week.
Cattle feeding margins slipped further into the red last week.
Feedyard margins saw only slight improvement last week as direct trade prices held steady.
The red ink has started to slow down for feedlots and cattle prices have rallied lately, giving beef producers something to be thankful for.
Cattle feeders earned a small profit on cattle sold last week, the first positive closeouts in months.
Cattle feeders turned a tidy profit for the second consecutive week.
Normally when profit margins decline $50-plus per head there’s no rejoicing.
Cattle feeders earned average profits of $68 per head last week, $30 per head more than the previous week.
Last week’s $4-plus rally in cash fed cattle prices cut average feedyard losses in half, leaving the red ink totaling $90 on every animal shipped.
Feedyard margins improved last week despite a $3 per cwt. decline in cash cattle prices.
Last week’s market rally helped feedyards erase much of their red ink, but not all.
Feedlot closeouts continue ending on positive notes.
Cattle feeders turned a profit for the eighth consecutive week.