Data on the condition of cattle markets after the Aug. 9 fire at Tyson’s Holcomb, KS, beef plant are becoming available slowly, providing more clarity to the situation and correcting some misconceptions, said Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University agricultural economist in a letter to Extension Agents called Cow/Calf Corner. Cattle and beef markets continue to … Read More

After rising sharply for two straight months, the Ag Economy Barometer weakened significantly in August falling back to a reading of 124, down 29 points from a month earlier and slightly below the June reading of 126. The monthly Ag Barometer is a joint venture of Purdue University and the CME Group and is the … Read More

Pork prices in China are rising fast, and a Rabobank report published by Pig Progress said it is likely that higher prices will dominate4 headlines for some time.  It may even take as long as five years for China’s pig production to get back on track.   MASSIVE HERD REDUCTIONS   The bank said the … Read More

Prospects for fall and winter grazing look good for wheat producers, said Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist Derrell Peel in a letter to Extension agents. Much of Oklahoma has received variable amounts of rain the past two weeks, Peel said.  It appears available moisture and favorable soil temperatures will support plans for early … Read More

The value of all by-products that come from the beef carcass is rising and is almost back up to a year ago, but weak hide prices are holding the cumulative total back. The low value of hides is problematic for beef packers because the by-product values often are where the company makes money on slaughtering … Read More

The number of cattle populating feedlots in Canada is declining seasonally but at a faster rate than last year, according to statistics from CanFax, a private market advisory group and compiled by the Livestock Marketing Information Center. CanFax does not release all of its data to non-members, but it does reveal the total number on … Read More

Beef magazine recently ran a series of articles by Private Market Analyst Nevil Speer explaining various aspects of the futures markets. Beef has graciously given its permission for Zia Ag Consultants and Zia Commodities to rerun those articles.  This is the fourth in the series, edited for style.   USING FUTURES, OPTIONS FOR HEDGING   … Read More