Fed cattle weights from Kansas feedlots turned higher in July, two months later than usual, according to Kansas State University Extension survey data. The K-State Extension service surveys select feedlots around the state.  The data is extrapolated to represent the entire state, and the Livestock Marketing Information Center compiles the data into usable graphs. The … Read More

Hurricane Harvey and more saber rattling from North Korea could end up supporting agricultural commodity markets, along with oil and gas, in coming months, market analysts say. Stefan Redlich, market analyst, wrote in an editorial for Seeking Alpha that the two could support a variety of stocks, but others say events are conspiring to support … Read More

Total 2017 red meat and poultry production will be record high again this year at about 52.1 billion pounds on a carcass weight basis, but it will be led by pork and chicken, according to projections by the Livestock Marketing Information Center. Using USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service data, the LMIC projected production increases through … Read More

Southern Plains average annual fed cattle and feeder steer calf prices are projected to decline into 2019 with only a minor wrinkle higher this year in fed steer prices. Using USDA Agricultural Marketing Service data, the Livestock Marketing Information Center projected the declines. The spike years of 2013, 2014 and 2015 are in the rear-view … Read More

Large commodity investment funds, called managed money, trimmed their net long live cattle futures position as producers whittled away at their net short position for the 10th straight week. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission said in its weekly Commitments of Traders report Friday that for the week ended Tuesday, managed money’s net long live cattle … Read More

Choice beef demand is rising. This week’s upward turn in the spread between choice and select beef prices, compared with the rising percentage of choice versus select beef production shows that buyers are willing to pay more for choice product in spite of a rising supply.   CHOICE/SELECT SPREAD TURNING UP   The USDA’s choice/select … Read More

Current and expected fed cattle prices have declined by about $10 per cwt over the past five weeks, said Josh Maples, assistant professor of agricultural economics at Mississippi State University, in the Livestock Marketing Information Center’s “In the Cattle Markets.” The decline has eroded the projected profitability for feedlots through the rest of the year, … Read More