The US cattle herd may have contracted more than current estimates of 1% to 2%, said Elliott Dennis, Livestock Economist at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, in a letter to Extension Agents via the Livestock Marketing Information Center called In The Cattle Markets. Drought and high feeder cattle prices likely changed the plans of many … Read More

The Jan. 31 USDA Cattle (inventory) report should provide an update on the condition of the US herd, but drought could have something to say about how things turn out, said Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University agricultural economist in a letter to Extension Agents called Cow-Calf Corner. The report provides Jan. 1 cattle inventories for … Read More

Cattle feeders last year may have set themselves up for what one market analyst called a “death trap” this year. Feeder cattle prices have had a strong runup since the middle of last year, something that maybe shouldn’t have happened, given the tight margins experienced by the feedlots. Feedlot competition for available feeder cattle supplies … Read More

Large commodity index funds, known as managed money, cut their collective net long position in live cattle futures during the week ended Tuesday, Jan. 11, as hedgers also reduced their collective net short position. The information came from data released by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission in its weekly Commitments of Traders report.   MANAGED … Read More

In its monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, the USDA raised its estimate of total 2021 red meat and poultry production estimate from last month. Beef and poultry production estimates for 2021 were raised while pork production was expected to decline. For 2022, the total red meat and poultry forecast was raised from … Read More

November Kansas feedlot closeouts declined again, a move that mirrors the 2020 month, but goes contrary to the 2015-2019 average. The data came from a monthly Kansas State University Extension Service survey of selected, representative feedlots around the state.  The data is then compiled and published by the Livestock Marketing Information Center in Denver.   … Read More

US beef export value reached another new high in November, topping $1 billion for the second time in 2021, according to data released by the USDA and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation. November pork exports were lower than a year ago, but year-to-date export value maintained a record pace at more than $7.5 … Read More