Canada’a feedlots continue to hold more cattle than last year or the 2013-2017 average, while the number of cattle placed on feed remains very close to both, says data from Canfax, a private market advisory service. The data only includes feedlots located in the prime feeding provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan and is published by … Read More

Cash cattle and beef markets are in the throes of the summer doldrums, leaving the markets looking for direction. Oklahoma State University Agricultural Economist Derrell Peel, said in a letter to Extension Agents called Cow/Calf Corner, that there were plenty of things to influence the cattle and beef markets currently. Peel said late last week … Read More

Drovers is running a series of articles by agricultural economist and industry consultant Nevil Speer explaining how futures work.  With permission by Drovers, these articles will be edited for space and republished here from time to time over the next several weeks.   STRAIGHT HEDGE EXAMPLE   Some market commentary in early May proclaimed cattle … Read More

Large commodity investment funds, known as managed money, ended a 10-week slide in their collective net long holdings in live cattle futures in the week ended Tuesday. However, it’s not clear whether this will be the extent of their long liquidation as cattle futures prices have made a decisive turn upward, an analyst said. Managed … Read More

The USDA Thursday raised its 2019 red meat and poultry production forecast to 104.517 billion pounds from 104.167 billion last month as higher expected pork and broiler production more than offsets lower beef and turkey production forecasts.  This was a gain of 35 million, or 0.33%. The new predictions came in the monthly World Agricultural … Read More

Ideas that cattle markets have put in an annual bottom may be premature as rising red meat and poultry production keep upping the ante for market share, but maybe not. Fundamental market forces are adding some support to cattle prices, and there is historical precedent for prices to hit a bottom at this time of … Read More

The Livestock Marketing Information Center expects total US red meat and poultry production to continue rising this year, although expected declines in poultry production could limit 2020 gains. LMIC economists took USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service data and extrapolated it to give a quarterly outlook through next year.  Their outlook says beef and pork production … Read More