Managed money, or large commodity index funds, increased their collective net long live cattle futures position in the week ended Tuesday, Dec. 29, as hedgers trimmed their net overall short position slightly. The data came from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s weekly Commitments of Traders report.   FUNDS SLIGHTLY LONGER CATTLE   As of Tuesday, … Read More

Several factors will shape cattle markets for the first few months of 2021 at least, providing a mix of opportunities and challenges, said Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist, in a letter to Extension agents called Cow/Calf Corner. Strong beef demand and tightening cattle supplies provide cautious optimism for cattle markets, Peel … Read More

Now that the US Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services have released their latest dietary guidelines for Americans, the accolades or criticisms can begin. Updated every five years, the dietary guidance serve as the foundation for federal nutrition policy and shape the recommendations found on the USDA’s MyPlate. Since the … Read More

Estimated feedlot margins for unhedged fed cattle sold to packers, or marketed, last week rose about $18 a head from the previous week, despite rising costs, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker from Sterling Marketing Inc., and published by the Farm Journal’s Ag Web. The estimated packer margin for cattle purchased last week was … Read More

Current data are giving mixed signals about how US cattle herd inventories have changed this year, said Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist in a letter to Extension agents. Many will be watching the report closely as they reset their marketing strategies for 2021.   COW/HEIFER DYNAMICS AFFECT HERD CHANGES   Historically, … Read More

Managed money, a proxy for large commodity index funds, extended their collective net long live cattle futures position as of Monday, while hedgers increased their collective net short position, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission said Monday in its weekly Commitments of Traders report. The report usually comes out on Friday publishing positions as of the … Read More

The December Cattle on Feed report was supportive to 2021 cattle markets, showing the US cattle industry is back where it started a year ago with Dec. 1 feedlot inventories about equal to last year, said Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist Darrell Peel in a newsletter to Extension Agents called Cow/Calf Corner. November … Read More