Consumers relate the color of meat to freshness and base their purchasing decisions on color more frequently than any other quality trait, said Paul Beck, Oklahoma State University Extension beef cattle nutrition specialist, in a letter to Extension agents. A recent published study from Oklahoma State University meat science researchers noted the US beef industry … Read More

Heifer retention is expected to increase sharply at some point in the coming months, which will drop the number of heifers in feedlots and decrease heifer slaughter, said Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist Derrell Peel, in a newsletter called Cow-Calf Corner. The July quarterly USDA data showed heifers made up 39.9% of feedlot … Read More

Agricultural producers’ sentiment declined for the second straight month, as the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer index fell nine points to a reading of 106 in September, wrote James Mintert, agricultural economist at Purdue, in a report on its monthly producer survey. This month’s Ag Economy Barometer survey was conducted from Sep. 11-15.   … Read More

Large commodity index funds, commonly known as managed money, increased their collective net long live cattle position during the week ended last Tuesday, Sep. 26, as hedgers cut their total net short positions. The data came from the weekly Commitments of Traders report Friday from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.   FUNDS BUY MORE CATTLE … Read More

The US inventory of all hogs and pigs on Sep. 1, was 74.3 million head, the USDA said in its Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report Friday. That was up slightly from Sep. 1, 2022, and up about 2% from June 1, 2023, the USDA said. Breeding inventory, at 6.08 million head, was down about 1% … Read More

The August cattle market was typical in some ways and atypical in others, said ADMIS Senior Livestock Analyst Chris Lehner, in an outlook letter.   SUMMER BEEF PRICES SAG   Beef prices a week after July 4 through the first week of August drifted lower as summer heat kept ovens turned off, Lehner said.  Consumers … Read More

The USDA’s Global Agricultural Information Network, part of the Foreign Agricultural Service, Wednesday reported that the number of Germany’s hog producers was down.  The GAIN report credited much of the decline to lack of export markets because of recurring bouts of African Swine Fever, but a new labeling law may keep sidelined producers out of … Read More