Benchmarking and identifying a cow/calf operation’s strengths and weaknesses is the first step to deciding where to focus management efforts, said Dustin Pendell and Kevin Herbel, agricultural economists at Kansas State University. The pair made their assertions in a report on their study of Kansas cow/calf producers and the things they do to vary their … Read More

Unhedged feedlots lost money again in December, the fifth straight month of losses, according to USDA data compiled by the Livestock Marketing Information Center. And unless cattle prices go up, the situation may not change in January.  The next four months of 2018 also appear to be a time of struggle for cattle feeders. The … Read More

Cattle producer profitability likely will be squeezed this year, but decent returns are possible, said Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University extension livestock marketing specialist in the service’s “Cow/Calf Corner. Continued growth in beef production likely will pressure cattle and beef prices, Peel said.  There will be many economic conditions they can’t control that will have … Read More

The value of November US pork exports was the highest ever November total while beef export value advanced toward a record full-year of returns, according to data from the USDA and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation.   PORK   November pork exports totaled 223,962 tonnes, down slightly from a year ago, the USMEF … Read More

The US food supply “is among the most vulnerable and least protected of all potential targets for terrorism,” according to a study prepared for the National Institute of Justice by researchers and law enforcement officials around the country. A copy of the research paper was supplied by Nevil Speer, associate professor of agricultural economics at … Read More

Three questions for the US cattle industry entering 2018, according to Josh Maples, assistant professor of agricultural economics at Mississippi State University. Maples posed the questions to members of the Livestock Marketing Information Center in the weekly “In The Cattle Markets.”   HERD EXPANSION, EXPORTS AND MEAT PRODUCTION   The first question posed was “What … Read More

Outbreaks of avian influenza may not affect cattle producers directly, but the effect on affected poultry and egg producers and the economy cannot be denied. The effects can, however, be hard to measure since mitigation and containment measures are so swift and effective.  It may take a large outbreak so see past the local producer’s … Read More