WLI

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was slow to moderate on light to moderate demand in Nebraska through Thursday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. Dressed delivered prices were $2.00 to $2.50 lower at $292-$292.50/cwt. There were a few FOB live trades at $184-$186 and a few delivered live trades at $189.50, but too few to trend. FOB live prices there last week were $185-$188.

Trade was limited on light to moderate demand in the western Corn Belt where FOB live prices were $1-$3 lower $185. There were a few dressed delivered trades at $292, but too few to trend; $290-$295 last week.

In the Southern Plains, trade ranged from inactive on very light demand to a standstill. FOB live prices last week were $178-$179 in the Texas Panhandle and $179 in Kansas.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 58¢ higher Thursday afternoon at $317.63/cwt. Select was 32¢ higher at $291.91/cwt.

Cattle futures closed higher Thursday, helped along by increasing open interest.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.97 higher ($1.47 to $2.37 higher).

Live Cattle futures closed an average of $1.47 higher ($1.22 to $2.05 higher).

Corn futures closed narrowly mixed, from mostly fractionally lower to 1¢ higher.

KC HRW Wheat closed mostly fractionally lower to 5¢ to lower.

Soybean futures closed mostly 8¢ to 12¢ higher.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed sharply lower Thursday amid renewed worries about high Treasury yield rates.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 373 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 59 points lower. The NASDAQ was down 257 points.

West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil futures (CME) closed narrowly mixed through the front six contracts.

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Cow-calf production became more specialized from 1996 to 2018, according to a recent report from USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS), entitled Structure, Management Practices and Production Costs of U.S. Beef Cow-calf Farms.

Increased specialization or decreased diversification was revealed across several measures.

* 78% of beef cattle operations produced only cattle in 2018 versus 66% in 2008 and 43% in 1996.

* 78% of beef cow operations producing other crops produced hay in 2018 versus 63% in 2008.

* 63% of cow-calf operations were cow-calf only in 2018 versus 47% in 2008; 29% were cow-calf and stocker in 2018 versus 44% in 2008.

Although more specialized, technology adoption remains low and static across cow-calf operations as a whole.

* 8% of cow-calf producers utilized artificial insemination in 2018, the same as in 2008. Likewise, 2% of producers utilized embryo transplant and/or sexed semen both years.

* 50% of cow-calf producers kept individual cow-calf production records in 2018, which was 4% more than in 2008. 28% used an on-farm computer for cow-calf information in 2018, versus 20% in 2008.

Although sideways, Cattle futures wobbled Wednesday as traders added risk premium back to Corn futures, which closed 9¢ to 11¢ higher through Jly ‘24 and then mostly 3¢ to 5¢ higher.

KC HRW Wheat closed 12¢ to 17¢ higher.

Soybean futures closed 9¢ to 15¢ higher.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 28¢ lower, except for 18¢ higher in May ’24.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 35¢ higher, except for an average of 16¢ lower in two contracts.

Through mid session today, Cattle futures are stronger.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ranged from limited on light demand to a standstill through Wednesday afternoon with too few transactions to trend, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service

Last week, FOB live prices were $178-$179/cwt. in the Texas Panhandle, $179 in Kansas, $185-$188 in Nebraska and $186-$188 in the western Corn Belt. Dressed delivered prices were $294-$295 in Nebraska and $290-$295 in the western Corn Belt.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was unchanged Wednesday afternoon at $317.05/cwt. Select was $2.08 higher at $291.59/cwt.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed higher Wednesday, led by tech stocks.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 184 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 48 points higher. The NASDAQ was up 215 points.

West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil futures (CME) closed 70¢ to 76¢ lower through the front six contracts.

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Frozen beef supplies last month continued significantly lower year over year, according to the most recent USDA Cold Storage report. Total pounds of beef in freezers July 31 were 2% more than the previous month but were 18% less than the same time last year.

Frozen pork supplies were down 3% from the previous month and down 10% from last year.

Total red meat supplies in freezers were down slightly from the previous month and down 14% from last year.

Total frozen poultry supplies were 1% less than the previous month but 4% more year over year.

Cattle futures gave back most of what they gained in the previous session, amid sluggish trade and a lack of weekly cash direction.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.16 lower (88¢ to $1.43).

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 93¢ lower, (53¢ to $1.25 lower).

Corn futures closed 1¢ to 5¢ lower, with follow-through pressure from last week’s positive crop progress and ratings.

KC HRW Wheat closed unchanged to 1¢ lower.

Soybean futures closed 12¢ to 18¢ lower.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was at a standstill in all trading regions through Tuesday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. 

Last week, FOB live prices were $178-$179/cwt. in the Texas Panhandle, $179 in Kansas. $185-$188 in Nebraska and $186-$188 in the western Corn Belt. Dressed delivered prices were $294-$295 in Nebraska and $290-$295 in the western Corn Belt.

However, wholesale beef prices were up. Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.49 higher Tuesday afternoon at $317.05/cwt. Select was $2.18 higher at $289.51/cwt.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed mixed Tuesday, pressured by the recent peak in Treasury-note yields, as well as bank stocks.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 174 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 12 points lower. The NASDAQ was up 8 points.

West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil futures (CME) closed 29¢ to 48¢ lower through the front six contracts.

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Despite slacker Feeder Cattle futures prices recently, Andrew P. Griffith, agricultural economist at the University of Tennessee points out they continue to trade in the same $10 range since the end of June.

“The question now is if the market will trade lower than the established range or does it have the ability to make a run to even higher prices?” Griffith says, in his weekly market comments.  “There is no way of knowing the answer, but the market sure seems to be finding little to no support for higher prices at this time. This would mean it is more likely for feeder cattle to stay in its current trading range or to soften.”

According to Griffith, as strong as market fundamentals are, it’s possible prices have outpaced the support.

 “A good example of this was in 2014 and 2015 when prices ascended rapidly and then descended rapidly through 2016 and 2017,” Griffith says. “This commentary is not saying cattle prices should be higher, lower, or exactly where they are, but it is saying the market is expected to be efficient. This simply means the market will adjust such that price is in line with supply and demand.”

Cattle futures closed higher Monday, supported by the bullish Cattle on Feed report and lower Corn futures.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.84 higher.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 74¢ higher, (45¢ to $1.12 higher).

There was no afternoon report from AMS for negotiated cash fed cattle trade.

Based on the latest available report, FOB live prices last week were $1-$3 lower in the Southern Plains at $177-$179, 50¢ to $3 lower in Nebraska at $185-$187.50 and $2 lower in the western Corn Belt at mainly $186. Dressed delivered prices were $1 lower to $2 higher at $294-$297.

The five-area direct weighted average fed steer price last week was $185.04/cwt. on a live basis, which was 84¢ less than the previous week. The five-area direct steer price in the beef was $1.84 lower at $293.76.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 55¢ lower Monday afternoon at $315.56/cwt. Select was $1.03 lower at $287.33/cwt.

Positive crop progress and conditions weighed on Corn futures Monday.

Corn futures closed 9¢ to 10¢ lower through Jly ‘24 and then mostly 3¢ lower.

Wheat futures were down 7¢ to 12¢ on harvest pressure.

Soybean futures closed 4¢ to 8¢ higher through Aug ‘24 and then mostly 1¢ higher, supported the hot, dry forecast and export news.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed mixed Monday, supported by tech but pressured by increased Treasury-note yields.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 36 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 30 points higher. The NASDAQ was up 206 points.

West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil futures (CME) closed 28¢ to 54¢ lower through the front six contracts.

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Beef imports to the U.S. are higher year over year so far, as expected, with declining U.S. production.

Imports in the first half of 2023 totaled nearly 1.9 billion pounds, about 1% more than the same time last year, according to USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS), in the latest Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook. Cumulative imports from Australia increased 26% from the same period last year. ERS analysts add that Australia’s exports to the world were up 20% year over year as higher production provided more exportable supplies.

Snubbed to a different post, U.S. imports during the first half of this year were 13.3% of total domestic beef disappearance (production + net trade + net stocks), which was slightly higher than the same time last year. Imports for the full year are expected to be 12.8% of total disappearance, compared to an average of 11.7% for 2018-22.

“That percentage is expected to increase to about 13.8% in 2024 as domestic production declines and imports increase,” say ERS analysts.

On the other side of the fence, U.S. beef export value for the first half of this year was the second highest on record, although 19% less year over year.

Cattle futures finally found some traction on Friday, perhaps fueled by position squaring ahead of the monthly Cattle on Feed report (see below), which turned out to be bullish.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.21 higher.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 53¢ higher, except for unchanged in the back contract.

Packers succeeded in holding cash fed cattle prices steady to mainly lower last week, while also ratcheting wholesale beef prices higher as they restrict production.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was slow on light to demand through Friday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. There were some FOB live trades in the Texas Panhandle at $178/cwt. but too few to trend.

For the week, based on the latest established trends, FOB live prices were $1-$3 lower in the Southern Plains at $177-$179, 50¢ to $3 lower in Nebraska at $185-$187.50 and $2 lower in the western Corn Belt at mainly $186. Last week, dressed delivered prices were $1 lower to $2 higher at $294-$297.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.97 higher Friday afternoon at $316.11/cwt. Select was $2.10 higher at $288.36/cwt.

Total estimated cattle slaughter last week of 616,000 head was 13,000 head more than the previous week but 48,000 head fewer than the same week last year. Year-to-date total estimated cattle slaughter of 20.6 million head was 876,000 head fewer (-4.1%) the the same time a year earlier. Year-to-date estimated beef production of 16.8 billion pounds was 876.8 million pounds less (-5.0%).

Hotter, drier weather helped lift grain futures again on Friday.

Corn futures closed mostly 2¢ to 6¢ higher.

KC HRW Wheat closed 14¢ to 20¢ higher through Sep ‘24 and then mostly 10¢ higher.

Soybean futures closed 16¢ to 26¢ higher through Aug ‘24 and then mostly 7¢ to 12¢ higher.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed narrowly mixed Friday, pressured by increased Treasury-note yields and some lackluster earnings reports.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 25 points higher. The S&P 500 closed fractionally lower. The NASDAQ was down 26 points.

West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil futures (CME) closed 60¢ to 86¢ higher through the front six contracts.

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If anything, markets will likely view the monthly Cattle on Feed report for feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity as slightly bullish, based on placement numbers.

Placements in July were 146,000 head fewer (-8.3%) than the previous year at 1.62 million head. That was 2.8% less than pre-report expectations.

In terms of placement weights, 38% went on feed weighing 699 pounds or less, 46% weighing 700-899 pounds and 16% weighing 900 pounds or more.

Marketings in July of 1.73 million head were 97,000 head fewer (-5.3%) than the previous year, which was in line with expectations.

Cattle on feed Aug. 1 of 11.03 million head were 259,000 head fewer (-2.3%) than the previous year, which was slightly less than expectations ahead of the report.