In case anyone was wondering why the January USDA Cattle on Feed report showed a bias in feedlot placement weights toward heavier calves and feeder cattle, the price difference may have had a lot to do with it. Data from the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service compiled and graphed by the Livestock Marketing Information Center in … Read More

Large commodity index funds, known as managed money, divested themselves of some of their historically large collective net long live cattle position in the week ended Tuesday, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission said in its weekly Commitments of Traders report Friday. At the same time, the CFTC said cash traders, commonly referred to as commercial … Read More

The strong cattle and beef price trend coming into 2025 is expected to continue as cattle inventories and beef supplies tighten further in the coming months, said Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension marketing specialist, in a newsletter. However, while cattle and beef markets are very strong internally, external shocks from political uncertainty along with … Read More

Hog prices started 2025 on a strong note compared with the start of 2024, according to the Livestock Marketing Information Center. Weekly carcass-base slaughter-ready barrow and gilt prices in Iowa and Minnesota last week averaged $83.31 per cwt, up $2.39, or 11.3%, from $80.92 a week earlier and up $20.68, or 33.0%, from $62.63 a … Read More

US farmers began 2025 with an optimistic outlook, as the January Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rose five points from December to a reading of 141, said Purdue agricultural economist Michael Langemeier, in a release of the monthly survey’s results. This month’s survey was conducted between Jan. 13-17.   CURRENT CONDITIONS INDEX UP   … Read More

Large commodity index funds, or managed money, increased their collective net long live cattle futures position in the week ended last Tuesday, Jan. 28, while hedgers moved their total net short position higher. The data came from the weekly Commitments of Traders report Friday from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.   FUNDS BUY MORE CATTLE … Read More

Friday’s annual USDA Cattle (Inventory) report showed the US cattle herd on Jan. 1 was down about 1% from a year earlier, but will the report move cash and futures cattle markets substantially?  No, say some market analysts and traders because the strength seen in both markets over the last several months and years has … Read More