Scattered cash cattle sales Thursday in the Plains at $164 per cwt on a live basis and at $256 on a dressed basis mean the market is following a seasonal trend, only in a much bigger way. The live-basis prices are $2 to $4 below last week’s range of $166 to $168, and the dressed-basis … Read More

USDA lowered its projection for 2014 total US meat production as declines in beef output overwhelmed the effect of heavier beef carcasses, higher hog slaughter and weights and steady poultry production. In its monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report Wednesday, the USDA total red meat and poultry production for 2014 would be 92.043 … Read More

Australian beef and veal exports to the US are expected to rise by 35% to 360,000 tonnes during the 2014/15 year, the highest annual volume since the 2004/05 year as US cow/calf producers keep more of their cows for another calf or two after herds dropped to a 63-year low. The prediction came from the … Read More

Feeder cattle and calf markets were active in the first week of December.  Receipts were up as sellers caught up with business following the Thanksgiving Day holiday. For the week, the USDA reported total sales from live auctions, direct sales and video/internet auctions at 346,000 head, compared with 149,300 the previous week and 340,000 in … Read More

Managed money reduced its net long position in live cattle futures during the week ended Tuesday, even though producers almost kept their net short position intact, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission said. During the latest reporting week, the CFTC reported Friday that managed money (a proxy for large traders) had reduced its net long position … Read More

The spread between choice and select beef has yet to follow seasonal norms and narrow sharply, meaning grocers and restaurants are still buying holiday fare. The seasonal trend toward the decline of choice beef prices in relation to select beef prices is well entrenched.  Meat buyers stop placing orders for choice and prime beef just … Read More

Chicken producers have something to crow about, and they’re gearing up for a battle to boost market share. Chicken producers continue to bet that consumers will shift to alternative meats from beef in coming months by increasing the number of eggs placed into incubators and the number of chicks placed into growing facilities for eventual … Read More