The USDA Thursday reported total US commercial red meat production in September of 3.96 billion pounds, up 1% from 3.94 billion produced in September 2013, with the gains coming from pork and from lamb and mutton production.  Monthly beef production remained below a year ago by the thinnest margin this year. September beef production was … Read More

US feeder cattle imports from Canada and Mexico are up from a year ago in an effort to feed hungry US feedlots, USDA figures show. Year-to-date feeder cattle imports from Mexico, consisting of steers and spayed heifers, through the week ended Friday, is 732,003 head, up 97,851 head, or 15.4%, from 634,152 head in the … Read More

Meat price trends may be revealing consumer resistance, even though the holiday season is approaching, and the market may not attain to previous performance levels. A graph of wholesale ribeye prices through Oct. 14 shows that this cut, from which the rib roast and ribeye steak are formed, remains above a year ago and well … Read More

Federally inspected cattle slaughter rose last week, following a seasonal pattern, but it remains well below the previous five-year average and last year. Weekly slaughter this year has never been above the average and has only eclipsed last year on two occasions, the first week of January and the last week of February.  What’s more, … Read More

For all practical purposes, managed money held its net live cattle position steady during the week ended Tuesday.  Producers covered some short positions but also held within a sideways range. All that was done as futures prices put in their latest contract highs and then hovered, waiting for some outside influence to move them along.  … Read More

Cash cattle trading at better-than-expected levels this week helped to underpin the futures market in spite of weakening hog markets and limited slaughter. Live cattle bulls benefitted as the week’s cash cattle trading likely was completed Thursday at $163 to $164 per cwt on a live basis and $258 to $260 on a dressed basis.  … Read More

Cattle feeders can’t seem to catch a break.  The smaller cattle herd keeps replacement calf prices moving higher just as record corn yields are sending feed costs lower. USDA reports show record-high feeder calf prices in nearly every weight category and nearly every major market segment of the country, and prospective breakevens must be calculated … Read More