Kansas feedlot sales to beef packers, called closeouts, took a seasonal upward swing in May, but the total remained less than last year or the 2017-2021 average. Final weights, however, turned downward in an unseasonal move. The data is gathered by the Kansas State University Extension service from select feedlots around the state.  The results … Read More

Large commodity index funds, known as managed money, lifted their collective net long live cattle futures position while hedgers barely increased their total net short position during the six days ended Monday. The data came from the weekly Commitments of Traders report from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Friday.  The report usually documents activity as … Read More

Mergers can disrupt local credit markets by changing financial institutions’ optimal portfolios, said Francisco Scott, economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, in an article Thursday. There is evidence suggesting the Farm Credit System mergers may have affected some outcomes for banks in the markets most likely to be affected by mergers, Scott … Read More

The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer index rose in June, rising 17 points to a reading of 121, said Purdue Agricultural Economist James Mintert, in a report. The sentiment upswing was driven by producers’ more optimistic view of the future, Mintert said.  However, their perception of current conditions remained unchanged from May. The Ag … Read More

The biggest question for the second half of the year in the cattle industry is the extent to which herd rebuilding begins with increased heifer retention and continued reductions in cow slaughter, said Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Livestock Marketing Specialist, in a market letter. Producer expectations and remaining drought conditions will affect the timing … Read More

In the week ended Tuesday, large commodity investment firms, known as managed money, extended their move toward a lower net long live cattle futures position while cattle owners took on a smaller net short position. The data came from Friday’s weekly Commitments of Traders report from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.   MANAGED MONEY TRIMS … Read More

The US inventory of all hogs and pigs on June 1 was 72.4 million head, up slightly from June 1, 2022, but down about 1% from March 1, 2023, the USDA’a National Agricultural Statistics Service said in its Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report Thursday. The breeding herd was down slightly from last year but up … Read More