As much as wholesale beef prices have fallen in the last three weeks, they still aren’t down to last year or the previous five-year average. The Livestock Marketing Information Center in Denver tracks USDA Agricultural Marketing Service data, plots it on graphs and publishes them on its web site. The LMIC graph for average weekly … Read More

Going along with beef packing plant closures and slowdowns in April, Kansas feedlots sold far fewer fed cattle to the plants than in March, according to statistics gathered by the Kansas State University Extension Service and compiled by the Livestock Marketing Information Center. However, it’s interesting that April feedlot marketings weren’t a long way below … Read More

April proved to be a solid month for US beef and pork exports despite COVID-19-related interruptions in production and declining purchasing power of some key trading partners, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation. Beef export values were below last April’s large totals but still topped $600 million, … Read More

Large commodity investment funds, known as managed money, nudged their collective net long live cattle futures position higher during the week ended Tuesday as hedgers continued to extend their net short position. Those conclusions came from data published by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission in its weekly Commitments of Traders report Friday. In the report, … Read More

A new genomic test for female cattle can tell a cow/calf producer which to retain for breeding and which to send to the feedlot, and the decision can be made shortly after birth. Time was, a cow/calf producer trying to improve the genetics of his or her cow herd had to wade through generations of … Read More

Beef markets may be moving past the worst of the disruptions of recent weeks, said Oklahoma State University agricultural economist Derrell Peel in a letter to Extension agents called Cow/Calf Corner. Beef markets were thrown into turmoil in March as food service markets were sharply curtailed and beef demand focused on retail grocery, Peel said. … Read More

Farmer sentiment improved slightly in May after falling sharply in March and April, according to the monthly Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer. James Mintert, Purdue University Agricultural Economist, outlined the highlights of the monthly survey of 400 agricultural producers from May 18 though 22 in a release.  He said the index was up seven … Read More