After millions of chickens have been culled to control Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, the US chicken industry is doing everything it can to cash in on the resulting higher prices. As a result, chicken price prospects are moderating as production increases, the Livestock Marketing Information Center in Denver said in its newsletter Livestock Monitor.   … Read More

Managed money, a proxy for large commodity index funds, again liquidated a portion of their collective net long live cattle futures position during the week ended Tuesday.  It was their fourth straight week of liquidation. At the same time, commercial traders, who generally approach the futures market as a means to hedge a cash market … Read More

This week, Canada implemented a 25% retaliatory tariff on an initial tranche of more than $20 billion in US imports, including $5.5 billion worth of agricultural products, the USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service reported. CBS News reported Thursday that President Donald Trump had paused tariffs on Mexican imports until April 2. China responded to new US … Read More

Overall economic activity rose slightly since mid-January, according to the Federal Reserve Bank’s Beige Book Wednesday, which outlines US economic activity eight times a year. Six districts reported no change, four reported modest or moderate growth, and two noted slight contractions, the Beige Book said. Consumer spending was lower, with reports of solid demand for … Read More

Shrinking cattle inventories lead to a wide range of effects on the multi-sectored cattle industry, including rising feeder prices and changes in price relationships that affect economic incentives of the various cattle production sectors. Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist, said in a letter called In The Cattle Markets that as feeder … Read More

Kansas feedlots began 2025 closing out fewer fed steers in January than in either January 2024 or the previous five-year average, according to the Livestock Marketing Information Center in Denver. However, they marketed more fed heifers in January than in the same month last year or in the 2019-2023 average. The data came from a … Read More

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission reported Friday in its weekly Commitments of Traders report that large commodity investment firms continued to carve chunks off their collective net long live cattle futures position. At the same time, commercial traders continued to reduce their total net short live cattle position.   FUNDS SELL LONG POSITIONS   Those … Read More