Recent cattle producer conclaves have railed against the beef packer for making huge profits while leaving the cattle feeder in the dust, but weekly USDA boxed beef data shoes that beef values are coming back toward normal. The USDA’s weekly average negotiated price for choice 600- to 900-pound carcasses jumped in August, possibly a response … Read More

As corn supplies and basis levels shift based on local ethanol plant activities and the availability of distiller’s grains, cattle feeders can be expected to alter their feeding rations to maintain energy and nutrition, said Extension Agricultural Economist Elliot Dennis of the University of Nebraska in a letter to Extension agents from the Livestock Marketing … Read More

Farmers became much more pessimistic about current financial conditions on their farms and in the US agricultural economy in late summer, according to the September Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer. The barometer is based on a mid-month survey of 400 agricultural producers across the US.  This month’s survey was conducted from September 9-13, 2019. … Read More

Seven weeks after the Aug. 8 fire at Tyson’s Finney County, Kan., beef plant, the ripple effects are clearer and fading as expected, an Oklahoma State University agricultural economist said in a letter to Extension agents. The fire caused huge market disruptions, but it is clear that no significant back-up of finished cattle occurred, despite … Read More

The USDA’s Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report Friday was called bearish to futures prices Monday after its release. Market watchers were thought to be looking at a Sep. 1 inventory that grew less than 3% from the same time last year, but it was more than 3% and at the high end of expectations, trade … Read More

Cow and heifer slaughter rates this year have been up, possibly giving even stronger support to the idea that the cattle cycle has peaked and is on the way down, a market analyst said. Data and anecdotal evidence show that cattle producers have been struggling, so a downturn in the number of cattle in the … Read More

This summer, market advisor Nevil Speer wrote a series of articles for Beef magazine about the futures market, explaining various aspects of futures hedging and trading. This is the last in the series, and Beef has graciously allowed its republication here, edited for style and length.   HEDGING LEVEL   During the past several weeks, … Read More