Commercials continued to add to their net short positions in live cattle futures during the week ending March 8, according to the weekly Commitments of Traders report released on Friday by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The net short position of commercials was 65,343, up 4,881, or 13.3%, from the 60,462 for the previous week. … Read More

It’s not always the case that a new president will affect beef prices and production but take a look at Argentina, a country that has been synonymous with a good cut of meat for many years. Argentina once was the third-largest exporter, but those days are past. Beef is now so expensive in Argentina that … Read More

Exports of U.S. beef and pork held their own in January over a year ago, showing modestly-higher movement, but reaping less value. The export value for both beef and pork declined, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The data, compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), showed that beef exports … Read More

All cattle and calves in the United States and Canada totaled 104 million head on Jan. 1, 2016, according to a report Tuesday from the U. S. Department of Agriculture. That was up 3% from the 101 million head on Jan. 1, 2015. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 44.4 million head, were … Read More

While January US feedlot sales were lower than last year, Kansas feedlots were more aggressive sellers, even though they also were down from the previous five-year average, said USDA-National Agricultural Statistics and Kansas State University data. USDA-NASS data showed total feedlot marketings in January at 1.589 million head, down 85,000, or 5.08%, from 1.674 million … Read More

Commercial traders of live cattle futures established their largest net short position since mid-August during the week ended Tuesday, a position and trend not mirrored by other traders. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s weekly Commitments of Traders report Friday, said the net short position of commercials, those who handle the cattle at some point, had … Read More

Growing demand for high eating-quality beef is causing many cow/calf producers to shift their breeding practices to produce more cattle that yield choice or prime grade carcasses, and states like Missouri are there to help. Packer premiums for prime or choice carcasses exceed the premiums for various programs like grass-fed, antibiotic-free and humane-handling.  Program premiums … Read More