The USDA’s April Prices Received Index for agricultural production is 104% of its 2011 base, up 2.0% from the March index but 9.6% below the April 2014 index. The Livestock Production Index for April, at 116%, was 0.9% below March, and down 11% from a year earlier. Compared with a year earlier, prices for cattle, … Read More
Cattle Carcass Weights Bounce Seasonally
Right on time seasonally, slaughter steer dressed weights appear to be turning up, and market cues to produce larger cattle can only add to the trend. As fall’s placements of younger calves into feedlots work their way through the system and more yearling placement are slaughtered, the slaughter weights go up. The low point in … Read More
Consumers Continue Paying Up For Beef
Despite comparatively high prices, it looks as though consumers are continuing to pay up for beef, mocking predictions of a mass consumption shift to pork or chicken. Monthly USDA studies of retail and wholesale prices for beef show a continuing climb to record-high prices amid warnings from some analysts that such gains may be short-lived … Read More
Red Meat Stocks Could Weigh On Prices
The amount of red meat, especially pork, in cold storage could hang over meat and livestock markets in coming weeks or months as supplies of pork increase counter-seasonally and beef supplies remain above a year ago. The USDA’s monthly Cold Storage report Friday showed April 30 total red meat supplies in US freezers were up … Read More
Beef Prices Weaken With Holiday Buying
Wholesale beef prices weakened this week, with prices Thursday continuing to turn back a Tuesday rally attempt as holiday buying wanes. Retail grocers and restaurants by this week have all of their expected holiday sales in store and are just waiting for shoppers to begin their three-day Memorial Day holiday weekend. The holiday, resplendent with … Read More
Cattle Price Spread Keeps Feedlots On Defensive
Slaughter steer prices in the Southern Plains are softening this week, increasing the difficulty of turning a profit for feedlots, a trend that will continue until the price of feeder cattle declines. More than any other factor, the price of younger cattle to put on feed and fatten for slaughter affects the bottom line for … Read More
Analysts Fear Beef Production Hike
Second-quarter beef production is expected to rise beyond seasonal norms this year, potentially weighing on beef and cattle prices and providing the weight that takes both lower. The gain in quarterly beef production normally runs around 266.5 million pounds, and last year’s increase was about 316.1 million. But some analysts expect larger fed cattle and … Read More