Prices for lighter-weight feeder cattle continue to move higher while those of heavier calves move sideways, as buyers seek younger cattle to put on pasture. Spring-like temperatures have pastures showing a bit of green, and the opportunity to have calves growing on the new grass is hard for stockers to pass up. For the uninitiated, … Read More
Choice Beef Prices At Decision Point
Weekly choice wholesale beef prices are at a decision point after trending lower since Jan. 1 as supply and lackluster domestic demand combine. The decision point comes as the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service’s boxed beef cutout value often turns higher this week. At least it did last year along with the 2011-2015 average. Last year, … Read More
Funds Trim Net Long Cattle Position
Managed money, or large commodity funds, trimmed their net long live cattle futures positions during the week ended Tuesday for the third straight week, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission said Friday. During the same week, the CFTC’s weekly Commitments of Traders report revealed that swap dealers continued to expand their net long cattle position for … Read More
Feed Grains Get Short Shrift In Acreage Estimates
The USDA, at its annual Outlook Forum Thursday, kicked off the annual guessing game about the number of acres that would be planted to various crops this year, and feed grains drew the short straw. Such a scenario could raise feed prices for cattle, hog and poultry producers in the months ahead – that is, … Read More
Asia’s Bird Flu Opens Path To More US Exports
Avian flu in China and South Korea is spreading, resulting in millions of birds being slaughtered to control its spread and opening the way for increased US exports. UPI, referring to a Yonhap News Agency report, said South Korea had destroyed more than 33 million birds since November in response to one of the worst … Read More
Analysts Agree: US Beef Cow Herd Still Growing
From slaughter/inventory ratios to auction values, all indicators point to a US beef cow herd that continues to grow. Two well-known cattle market analysts this week approached the market from two different angles and came to that conclusion. Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist, said in his Cow/Calf Corner newsletter that Oklahoma … Read More
Funds Trim Cattle Position, Remain Very Long
Large commodity investment funds, or managed money, cut their net long live cattle futures position for the second straight week during the week ended last Tuesday. At the same time, swap dealers boosted their net long position for the twelfth straight week, and commercial traders cut their net short position for the first time in … Read More