USDA Agricultural Marketing Service data show that the rib and loin primal cuts of beef provided the most support to the overall cutout in December. The brisket was next, followed by the chuck and the round. The short plate and flank rounded out the bottom. That was no real surprise to most seasoned cattle or … Read More
November Kansas Feedlot Closeouts Rise
Kansas feedlot sales to packers, called closeouts for the closing of the books on a pen of cattle as they leave the feed yard, turned higher in November, mirroring November 2017’s direction but going against the previous five-year trend. The Kansas State University Extension Service polls a select group of feedlots each month for data … Read More
Mid-East States Exceed Corn Yield Trend
A change in weather patterns over the last five years has given several middle eastern US states better corn yield performance than even most Corn Belt states, said an Illinois Economist. However, those conditions could just as easily swing back to “normal” in coming years, leading to lower yields, lower incomes and more financial stress … Read More
Feedlot, Packer Margins Hold Near Steady: Profit Tracker
Feedlot and packer margins during the week ended Dec, 21 held nearly steady with the previous week, according to Sterling Marketing’s Beef Profit Tracker, published by AgWeb. For the week, the margins for unhedged feedlots that week was a plus $30.89 a head, down $0.65, or 2.06%, from $31.54 the previous week and down $7.25, … Read More
Keep 2018 Going Is The Challenge To Beef
The new challenge for cattle producers is to keep 2018 going. US cattle producers have said for years they will produce the kind of cattle with the carcass traits they are paid for. In 2018 they did just that, increasing the percentage of choice carcasses versus select and keeping product demand strong as packers came … Read More
Choice/Select Spread To Narrow Into February
The difference between choice and select beef prices likely will continue to narrow into mid- to late February, extending a seasonal move that began the last week of November. That conclusion was drawn from USDA Agricultural Marketing Service data compiled by the Livestock Marketing Information Center. CONSUMER PREFERENCE CHANGES Previous observation and meat … Read More
Livestock Markets Face Challenges In 2019: Economist
Livestock markets face large supplies with strong demand moving into 2019, and 2019 livestock prices look to be similar to this year, according to presenters at the Illinois Farm Economics Summit this month. 2019 BEEF PRODUCTION SEEN UP US beef production was expected to increase 3.3% in 2019, rising to 27.8 billion pounds, … Read More