Sows
The pain eased somewhat for cattle feeders last week, but losses remain more than $170 per head.
Beef packers put away the red ink last week as they turned modest profits on every animal processed. Feedyard margins, however, slipped a little further away from positive.
Cattle feeding margins declined $45 per head last week, leaving average per head losses at more than $77.
It was another ugly week for cattle feeders.
Cattle feeding margins took another tumble last week after a $1 per cwt. decline in fed cattle prices.
The financial pain of feeding cattle eased again last week, but losses remain more than $125 per head.
The pain eased somewhat for cattle feeders last week, but losses remain more than $97 per head.
Cattle feeding margins took another turn south last week after a nearly $4 per cwt. decline in fed cattle prices.
Cattle feeders added a little powder and lipstick to closeouts this week, but the ugly continues to shine through.
Cattle feeding margins took two steps back last week as cash cattle prices hover around what producers hope are the summer lows.
Cattle feeders and beef packers are hoping the price lows are in for the summer as both operated at a loss last week.
A $6 per head decline in cattle feeding margins is tolerable, unless you were already losing $112.
Last week saw dramatic improvement in cattle feeding margins, yet triple-digit losses remain.
Cattle feeding losses nearly doubled last week as cash fed cattle prices declined another $2 per cwt.
With cash fed cattle prices tumbling $6 per cwt. last week an increase in cattle feeding losses was certain.
A $4 per cwt. rally in cash fed cattle prices reduced losses for fed cattle to less than $50 per head last week.
Beef packers saw their margins jump $51 per head higher last week, ending with profits more than $83.
Already facing steep losses, cattle feeders saw their margins decline further in a dismal pre-Labor Day market.
Beef packer margins jumped into the black last week while cattle feeders saw their margins improve $88 per head, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker.
Cattle feeding margins took another tumble last week as cash fed cattle prices declined $2.40 per cwt.
Last week’s $2.50 rally in the cash market was another step in the right direction, but closeouts remain $26.46 per cwt. short of break even.
Calculated breakeven prices for cattle shipped from feedyards last week were $170.12, according to Sterling Marketing, Vale, Ore.
It’s been a rough fall for cattle feeders, but cowboys found some signs last week that suggest the worst may be behind them.
Uncharted territory. That’s where America’s cattle feeding industry finds itself as fed cattle lose $611 per head.
Cattle feeders hope the cash market found its bottom last week.
The adjectives have all been used to describe the despair that is cattle feeding. Last week was simply worse than the week before, which was a train wreck.