The US cattle herd rebuild continues to slow.  It may even be drawing to a close, or at least taking a breather, as cow slaughter drops and heifer slaughter jumps. The Livestock Marketing Information Center has projected US herd growth to continue through next year at least with Jan. 1, 2019 estimated totals, ranging from … Read More

It is very important for cattle producers to pay attention to seasonal price tendencies, especially during a time when prices are expected to move one way or another. Producers also need to give heed to the overall cattle cycle, or the trend of US herd growth or decline, and the things that are influencing the … Read More

US consumer prices for food are lagging the general economy with meat and poultry items standing out, suggesting consumers may be willing to pay more for protein. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said, the US economy continues to grow with the February Consumer Price Index for all items at 243.603, above last year’s 237.111 and … Read More

Market reaction to the USDA’s Prospective Plantings Report Friday may realign the acres planted to corn or soybeans, the two main US crops grown in the Midwest, this year. With soybean acres above expectations and corn getting short shrift, corn futures prices shot higher Friday while soybean prices continued to plunge. The question then becomes … Read More

During the week ended Tuesday, managed money, a term for large commodity investment funds, raised its net long position in live cattle futures while commercial traders, those who own the cattle, extended their net short positions. Both positions were the largest in more than a year. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s weekly Commitments of Traders … Read More

The US hog herd looks to be expanding slowly, although the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report showed a 1% decline in all hogs and pigs from the previous quarter. The inventory of all hogs and pigs on March 1 was 70.976 million head, a gain of 2.852 million, or 4.19%, … Read More

Wholesale beef prices continue to support higher-than-expected fed cattle prices, surprising many noted market analysts who saw early year declines being prophetic for the rest of the year. Beef values have struggled a bit this week, a seasonal reaction to increased slaughter and weakening demand from grocers and restaurants getting their early April and post-Easter … Read More