Total red meat supplies in freezers on Feb. 28 were down about 2% from the previous month and down about 5% from last year, according to the USDA’s monthly Cold Storage report Tuesday.
The report also said total frozen poultry supplies were up about 4% from the previous month but down about 5% from a year ago.
BEEF STOCKS DROP
Total pounds of beef in freezers, at 413.341 million pounds, were down 13.996 million, or 3.28%, from 427.337 million the previous month and down 22.56 million, or 5.17%, from 435.896 million last year.
Of that, 374.788 million pounds were classed as “boneless” beef, down 12.148 million, or 33.14%, from 386.936 million the previous month and down 23.397, or 5.88%, from 398.185 million a year earlier.
Another, 38.573 million pounds were beef cuts, down 1.828 million, or 4.52%, from 40.401 million the previous month but up 862,000, or 2.29%, from 37.711 million a year earlier.
PORK STOCKS DOWN SLIGHTLY
Frozen pork supplies, at 403.503 million pounds, were down 302,000, or 0.07%, from 403.805 million pounds the previous month and down 19.980, or 4.72%, from 423.483 million the previous year.
Stocks of pork bellies, at 44.897 million pounds, were up 1.941 million, or 4.52%, from 42.956 million last month but down from 48.586 million last year.
Frozen hams totaled 83.909 million pounds, up 3.413 million, or 4.24%, from 80.496 million a month earlier and up 304,000, or 0.36%, from 83.605 million a year earlier.
Loins in cold storage totaled 31.374 million pounds, down 602,000, or 1.88%, from 31.976 million a year earlier and down 2.640 million, or 7.76%, from 34.014 million a year earlier.
Frozen ribs totaled 86.169 million pounds, up 122,000, or 0.14%, from 86.047 million a month earlier but down 1.850 million, or 2.10%, from 88.019 million a year earlier.
CHICKEN STOCKS DECLINE
Total stocks of chicken were down 2.147 million, or 0.27%, from the previous month at 780.124 million pounds, compared with 782.271 million last month and down 13.363 million, or 1.68%, from last year’s 793.487 million.
Of that, whole broilers on ice totaled 11.069 million pounds down 860,000, or 7.21%, from 11.929 million a month earlier but up 2.006 million, or 22.1%, from 9.063 million a year earlier.
Another 234.395 million pounds were breasts and breast meat, up 2.874 million, or 1.24%, from 231.521 million a month earlier but down 19.056 million, or 7.52%, from 253.451 million a year earlier.
Another 48.824 million pounds were leg quarters, up 3.638 million, or 8.05%, from 45.186 million last month but down 11.785 million, or 19.4%, from 60.609 million last year.
Total pounds of turkey in freezers, at 254.673 million pounds, were up 41.052 million, or 19.2%, from 213.621 million pounds last month but down 37.654 million, or 12.9%, from 292.327 million on Feb. 28, 2025.
CATTLE, BEEF RECAP
The USDA reported formula and contract base prices for live FOB steers and heifers this week ranged from $235.00 per cwt to $236.53, compared with last week’s range of $234.91 to $248.00 per cwt. FOB dressed steers and heifers went for $370.61 per cwt to $372.04, compared with $369.34 to $377.44.
The USDA choice cutout Monday was up $0.78 per cwt at $399.91 while select was up $0.67 at $394.50. The choice/select spread widened to $5.41 from $5.30 with 69 loads of fabricated product and 23 loads of trimmings and grinds sold into the spot market.
The USDA-listed the weighted average wholesale price for fresh 90% lean beef as $438.78 per cwt, and 50% beef was $193.04
The USDA said basis bids for corn from feeders in the Southern Plains were unchanged at $0.90 to $1.05 a bushel over the May corn contract, which settled at $4.62 1/2, up $0.03.
The CME Feeder Cattle Index for the seven days ended Monday was $361.59 per cwt, up $0.26. This compares with Tuesday’s Mar contract settlement of $360.30, up $1.95.