US red meat exports closed the first half of the year on a strong note, according to data released by the USDA and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation. Although volume and value eased from the enormous totals posted in April and May, export value was still the highest on record for the month … Read More

Large commodity index funds, known as managed money, nudged their collective net long live cattle position higher during the week ended Tuesday, while hedgers cut their collective net short position. The data came from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s weekly Commitments of Traders report Friday, which provides data for different types of traders as of … Read More

The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization Food Price Index averaged 123.0 points in July, down 1.5 points, or 1.2%, from June but still 29.1 points, or 31.0%, higher than in July 2020, the FAO said in a release. July’s drop reflected declines in prices of cereals, dairy products and vegetable oils, which more than … Read More

Cattle carcass weights will rise seasonally in the remainder of the year, but slaughter rates were expected to decline, resulting in 4% to 5% less beef production than the same period last year, said Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist, in a newsletter titled Cow/Calf Corner. The lower steer and heifer carcass … Read More

Partially explaining the strength in US beef demand, data show the US economy posted its first year over year gain in the first quarter of 2021 after three straight quarters of year-on-year decline, the Livestock Marketing Information Center said in a letter to Extension agents called In The Cattle Markets. That indicated the US was … Read More

Monthly Kansas feedlot closeouts, or sales to packers, now appear to be following the five-year trend after more than a year of gyrations initiated by the COVID pandemic. Closeouts increased from the previous month in May and June at rates that reflect the 2015-2019 average, according to data from a monthly survey of select Kansas … Read More

Managed money, a proxy for large commodity investment funds, expanded their collective net long live cattle futures position during the week ended Tuesday while hedgers enlarged their collective net short positions. The data came from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s weekly Commitments of Traders report Friday.   FUNDS GO LONG CATTLE   Managed money’s collective … Read More