Cull Cow Slaughter Outlook Cloudy

Fed by a variety of factors, cull cow slaughter is high, but where it goes from here is a cloudy picture, said Elliott Dennis, Extension livestock economist at the Univeristy of Nebraska, in a letter to Extension agents from the Livestock Marketing Information Center called In The Cattle Markets. Inflation, low corn/soybean stock-to-use ratios and … Read More

Choice Beef Holding In Narrow Range

The choice boxed beef cutout value continues to hold within a narrow range at a level significantly higher than the 2016-2020 average as consumers remain attached to the choice product. Some market analysts give credit to Federal economic stimulus money for sending consumers to the choice beef section of the food case rather than the … Read More

Canada Feedlots Maintain Cattle Numbers At Higher Level

The number of cattle populating Canada’s feedlots on July 1 continued to decline from the previous month, following seasonal trends but at a higher number, CanFax data showed. CanFax, a Canadian market advisory group, collects cattle on feed data from member feed yards in Alberta and Saskatchewan releasing all but two numbers exclusively to its … Read More

Frozen Meat Stocks Up Sharply From Year Ago

Friday’s monthly USDA Cold Storage report said total red meat supplies in freezers were down about 1% from last month but up about 24% from last year. Total frozen poultry supplies on June 30 were up about 5% from last month and up about 4% from a year ago.   BEEF STOCKS MIXED   Total … Read More

Cattle Report Confirms Herd Meltdown

Friday’s semi-annual Cattle (inventory) report confirmed evidence from USDA reports and anecdotal reports from the field, namely that the US cattle herd is contracting rapidly. Friday’s Cattle report showed a total inventory of 98.8 million head, down 2.0 million, or 1.98%, from 100.8 million in the mid-year report from 2021.  Greg Henderson, from AgWeb, said … Read More

Drought Intensifies In Southern Plains

Most of the eastern third of the US recorded precipitation during the week ended Thursday, according to the weekly Drought Monitor from the National Weather Service. Portions of the Midwest and into the Southeast had some amounts of more than 3 inches and even widespread 5+-inch amounts in the coastal areas of Florida, the NWS … Read More

Cattle Report May Show Active Herd Liquidation

Friday, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service is scheduled to release its July Cattle (inventory) report with national estimates of inventories by category along with the first estimate of the 2022 calf crop. With widespread drought conditions, the focus will be on the female side of the industry in terms of how much beef cow … Read More