The USDA’s monthly Cold Storage report Thursday revealed that total red meat supplies in freezers on May 31 were down slightly from the May report and down about 1% from last year.
Total frozen poultry supplies on May 31 were up about 4% from the previous month and up about 2% from a year ago.
BEEF SUPPLIES DOWN SLIGHTLY
Total pounds of beef in freezers, at 403.474 million pounds, were down 1.996 million, or 0.49%, from 405.470 million in May and down 4.339 million, or 1.06%, from 407.813 million last year.
Of that, 364.105 million pounds were classed as “boneless” beef, down 3.765 million, or 1.02%, from 367.870 million last month and down 511,000, or 0.14%, from 364.616 million last year.
Another 39.369 million pounds were classed as “beef cuts,” up 1.769 million, or 4.70%, from 37.600 million in May but down 3.828 million, or 8.86%, from 43.197 in the June 2025 report.
PORK SUPPLIES UP SLIGHTLY
Frozen pork supplies, at 451.917 million pounds, were up 904,000, or 0.20%, from 451.013 million the previous month and up 1.161 million, or 0.26%, from 450.756 million last year.
Stocks of pork bellies, at 53.848 million pounds, were up 1.024 million, or 1.94%, from 52.824 million last month and up 835,000, or 1.58%, from 53.013 million last year.
Hams in cold storage totaled 123.241 million pounds, up 17.473 million, or 16.5%, from 105.768 million last month and up 15.375 million, or 14.3%, from 107.866 million last year.
Frozen loins totaled 34.451 million pounds, down 1.232 million, or 3.45%, from 35.683 million a month ago and down 2.087 million, or 5.71%, from 36.538 million a year ago.
Frozen ribs totaled 76.530 million pounds, down 19.701 million, or 20.5%, from 96.231 million last month and down 3.810 million, or 4.74%, from 80.340 million last year.
CHICKEN STOCKS RISE
Total stocks of chicken, at 771.047 million pounds, were up 8.824 million, or 1.16%, from 762.223 million the previous month and up 17.3%, from 753.747 million last year.
Whole chickens on ice totaled 10.986 million pounds, up 731,000, or 7.13%, from 10.255 million in May and up 2.498 million, or 29.4%, from 8.488 million a year ago.
Frozen breasts and breast meat totaled 218.777 million pounds, down 531,000, or 0.24%, from 219.308 million a month ago and down 3.505 million, or 1.58%, from 222.282 million a year ago.
Leg quarters in cold storage totaled 46.376 million pounds, down 2.947 million, or 5.97%, from 49.323 million last month and down 7.307, or 13.6%, from 53.683 million last year.
Total pounds of turkey in freezers, at 354.921 million pounds, were up 34.262 million, or 10.7%, from 320.659 million last month and up 8.234 million, or 2.38%, from 346.687 million on May 31, 2025.
CATTLE, BEEF RECAP
The USDA reported formula and contract base prices for live FOB steers and heifers this week ranged from $256.28 per cwt to $264.00, compared with last week’s range of $256.19 to $257.34 per cwt. FOB dressed steers and heifers went for $401.64 per cwt to $410.90, compared with $401.57 to $405.30.
The USDA choice cutout Thursday was down $2.62 per cwt at $396.32 while select was off $3.40 at $374.74. The choice/select spread widened to $21.58, from $20.80 with 82 loads of fabricated product and 16 loads of trimmings and grinds sold into the spot market.
The USDA-listed the weighted average wholesale price for fresh 90% lean beef as $458.69 per cwt, and 50% beef was $185.94.
The USDA said basis bids for corn from feeders in the Southern Plains were unchanged at $1.23 to $1.43 a bushel over the Jul corn contract, which settled at $4.14 3/4 a bushel, up $0.07 3/4.
No live cattle contracts were tendered for delivery Thursday.
The CME Feeder Cattle Index for the seven days ended Wednesday was $381.86 per cwt, up $6.03. This compares with Thursday’s Aug contract settlement of $373.30, up $0.37.