Stock Cattle Industry Hard To Pin Down

The stocker industry is difficult to define, understand, or even identify, data from an Oklahoma State University/USDA survey showed. Earlier this year, OSU, in conjunction with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the National Agricultural Statistics Service, conducted a survey of Oklahoma cattle producers.  Derrell Peel, OSU Extension livestock marketing specialist, wrote of … Read More

US October Beef Production Up

US commercial beef and pork production rose in October, sending more meat into the market or commercial freezers, yet prices for both held above last year, although beef did a better job of it. October beef production totaled 2.3 billion pounds, up 80 million, or 3.60%, from 2.22 billion in September and the second-largest production … Read More

Funds Cut Long Cattle Position

Large commodity investment funds, known as managed money, cut their collective net long live cattle futures position for the second straight week, according to data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The CFTC released the data for the week ended last Tuesday in its weekly Commitments of Traders report Monday.  The report was delayed from … Read More

Cow/Calf Returns Do Balancing Act

Higher-than-expected US 2017 cow/calf producer returns may erode for the next two years, possibly dropping into the red, if beef demand falters in any way, said the Livestock Marketing Information Center. In its “Livestock Monitor,” the LMIC said cyclically, US calf crops are forecast to continue increasing throughout 2019.  Beef tonnage for 2018 was expected … Read More

Red Meat Supplies Turn Downward

Total red meat supplies in US freezers on Oct. 31 were down about 1% from a month earlier, but were down 2% from last year as beef poundage rose about 2% from October but fell 5% from 2016. The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service issued the data in its November Cold Storage report and added … Read More

US Meat, Poultry Production Seen Rising Through 2019

Total US red meat and poultry production has a good chance of continuing to expand through 2019, said the Denver, Col.-based Livestock Marketing Information Center. Taking off from USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service data, the LMIC projected beef, pork, poultry and even lamb and mutton production on a quarterly basis through 2019.  With few exceptions, … Read More

Beef Trade Seen Higher

The USDA’s Economic Research Service raised its estimate of 2017 US beef trade with foreign countries saying imports were expected to be up while export demand remained strong. The ERS made its estimates Thursday in its monthly Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook.   BEEF IMPORT ESTIMATE RAISED   US beef imports were up 5% in … Read More