Cattle and hog feeders are benefitting from dramatically lower grain and feed costs this year while live animal sale prices are higher. Profit margins for both species have doubled in the past month.
The margin spread between packer losses and feedyard profits expands as wholesale beef prices continue their retreat. Pork producer profits continue increasing.
Packer and feeder margins continue trending in opposite directions as declining wholesale beef prices erase any improvement packers may have seen from lower cash cattle prices. Pork producer profits steady.
Last week’s rally to new record prices pushed packer and feeder margins in opposite directions. Pork producer margins continue higher with prices now above year ago.
Cattle feeding margins show improvement with higher prices. Beef packer losses remain in triple digits as market-ready supplies remain tight. Pork producer margins gain on higher prices.
Cattle feeding margins improved as prices advanced. Beef packer margins improved but losses remain in triple digits as market-ready supplies remain tight. Pork producer margins gain on higher prices.
Cattle feeding margins inched lower last week with rising costs. Packer margins improved but remain in triple digits as market-ready supplies remain tight. Pork producers turn a profit for the first time in 14 months.
Cattle feeding margins improved significantly the past month, crossing into positive territory last week. Beef packers continue to struggle with tight supplies. Pork producers reach breakeven.
Cattle feeding margins have improved significantly the past month, yet losses remain the norm. Beef packers continue to struggle with tight supplies and range-bound wholesale beef prices. Pork inches toward breakeven.
Improving prices for live cattle helped boost cattle feeding margins to near breakeven, but higher bids pushed beef packer margins deeper into the red. Pork producers also found improved margins but remain in the red.
Improving prices for live cattle helped boost cattle feeding margins but the higher bids and lower wholesale beef prices turned packer margins negative. Pork producers also found improved margins but remain in the red.
Improving prices for live cattle and wholesale beef lifted margins for both feeders and packers. Pork producers also found improved margins but remain in the red.
Weather continues disrupting shipping and harvest operations for livestock producers across the Corn Belt and Central Plains as both cattle and hog feeding losses continue to mount.
Winter weather dominated livestock markets the second full week of the year with slowing harvest and transportation. Cattle and hog prices were steady and margins improved modestly, yet losses remain significant.
The first week of the New Year provided little cheer for either cattle feeders or beef packers as both saw increasing per head losses. Ditto for pork producers.
The Grinch is writing closeouts ahead of the holidays as cattle and hog profit margins tumble to their lowest point since the summer of 2020, just months into the COVID pandemic.
Cattle feeders and beef packers both printed closeouts with red ink last week, slight advantage packers. Pork producers also operated underwater but pork packers saw improving margins.
Cattle feeding margins decline even as fed steers trade steady to higher for the week. Packer margins erode on weaker wholesale beef prices. Pork producer margins improve but remain underwater.
Projected breakevens for cattle placed on feed have declined $10 per cwt. over the past month. Pork producer margins are declining even with feed costs 23% lower than last year.
Higher cattle prices and declining wholesale beef prices pushed packer margins underwater last week. Pork breakevens fell to their lowest point in two years.
After six weeks running in the red, beef packers jumped back into positive margins after last week’s wholesale beef rally. Pork producers remain profitable.
Cattle feeders continue to gain market leverage as packers see pressure from declining wholesale beef prices. Pork producer margins remain solidly in the black.
Packers have reduced harvest and employed other tactics in an effort to regain positive margins. Pork producer margins took another step higher as lean carcass prices advance.
The spread between cattle feeding margins and beef packer margins has now reached $500 per head as packing losses increase. Pork producer margins are the highest of the year.
There’s a $400 spread between cattle feeding margins and packer margins – now in the cowboy’s favor. Cattle harvest is lower as packers reduce hours, a signal their margins are in the red.
If a seasonal price decline develops as anticipated, this year’s starting point for cattle feeders is the best in a decade. Pork producers notch their second week of modest profits.
Wholesale beef prices continue to support packer margins even as negotiated cash cattle trade well-above the five-year average. Pork producers enjoy a market rally that has lifted margins out of the red.
Cattle feeders saw their margins shrink $70 per head last week as a modest increase in market-ready supplies led packers to sharply cut their negotiated purchases.
Profit margins for cattle feeders and packers continue pacing in opposite directions as shrinking supplies of market-ready cattle drive negotiated cash prices higher.
Grilling season set to kick off as both packers and cattle feeders operating with profitable margins. Pork producers continue the struggle to reach profitability.
Packers have navigated through the tightest supplies of the season while maintaining profitability. Now, supplies are anticipated to increase seasonally which could swing more leverage in their favor.
Cash cattle prices declined last week for the first time in a month, but wholesale prices moved higher for the fifth consecutive week. Prices for yearling feeder cattle placed on feed topped $200 per cwt.
Cattle feeders have experienced their best month in years with prices reaching record levels. Hog producers, however, are struggling to keep margins out of the red.
As cash cattle prices have been on an upward trajectory in 2023, packer margins have correspondingly moved lower. Sterling Marketing's weekly estimates are printing packer margins red for the first time in six years.
Cattle feeding margins remain favorable despite higher costs. Tighter supplies of market-ready cattle become a growing challenge for packers as their margins are squeezed.
Momentum continues to shift in cattle markets with strong feeding margins and tightening supplies. Pork producers continue to struggle with negative margins.
Cash cattle and wholesale beef prices moved higher last week, increasing profit margins for both cattle feeders and beef packers. Pork producers saw modest per head losses.
