The rain that came to the Southeast last weeks ago helped to extinguish the Gatlinburg, Tenn., fires came in a gush, which was too fast to help soil moisture levels much, although it did help ponds and streams, according to a retired meteorologist. David Salmon, who developed his own seven-day topsoil and departure-from-normal soil moisture … Read More

Kansas feedlots are stepping up their sales to packers, pushing October marketings to the highest level this year and to more than double the 2010-2014 average, according to a Kansas State University monthly survey. On average, Kansas feedlots sold 6,195 head to packers in October, 574, or 10.2%, more than the next highest monthly total … Read More

Daily and weekly choice boxed beef values are moving higher, and some market advisors are making much of the move, but the strength may not last. Average prices remain below a year ago and the 2010-2014 average and may even surpass them sometime in December or January, but the seasonalities of the price leaders likely … Read More

Depending on the nutritional test of local and producer-grown hay, there may be an opportunity for cow/calf producers and backgrounders to pencil in lower winter feeding costs this year said the Livestock Marketing Information Center in its Livestock Monitor.   PRODUCTION INCREASES   A combination of fairly stable hay production, two years of relatively mild … Read More

Managed money, or large commodity funds, extended their net long position in live cattle futures to its largest in 1 ½ years during the week ended Tuesday as commercial traders, those who actually handle the cattle, extended their net short position equally as far back. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission said in its weekly Commitments … Read More

Net cash farm income for 2016 was forecast at $90.1 billion, down 14.6% from the 2015 estimate and the third straight year of declines, said the USDA’s Economic Research Service Thursday. In highlights from the November Farm Income Forecast, 2016 net farm income, a more comprehensive measure of profitability, was forecast to be $66.9 billion, … Read More

In general, feeder cattle futures prices did decline with the Nov futures contract as expected after the CME Group’s changes to the contract, but the cattle industry seems to be taking it in stride and is even retaking some ground. “Nobody is talking about it,” said Nevil Speer, vice president of US operations for AgriClear … Read More