WLI

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was at a standstill in the Southern Plains and Western Corn Belt through Tuesday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. In Nebraska, trading was mostly inactive with very light demand and not enough purchases to trend.

Last week in the Texas Panhandle, live sales traded at $124/cwt. In Kansas, live sales traded from $123-$124. In Nebraska, live sales traded at $124 and dressed mostly at 200. In the Western Corn Belt, live sales traded from $123-$124 and dressed at $196-$200.

Cattle futures mostly firmed Tuesday, despite continued pressure in Lean Hogs, tied to queasiness over China’s economic growth. After the bell, USDA announced confirmation of African Swine Fever in Haiti, which shares an island with the Dominican Republic, where it was recently confirmed.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 48¢ higher, except for an average of 7¢ lower in the front two contracts.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 38¢ higher, except for an average of 22¢ lower in the front three contracts.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $4.29 lower Tuesday afternoon at $311.37/cwt. Select was $2.74 lower at $278.01.

Corn futures closed mostly 2¢ to 4¢ lower.

Soybean futures closed mostly 9¢ to 11¢ higher.

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Major U.S. financial indices retained most of the previous session’s steep losses on Tuesday as investors awaited the Fed’s quarterly economic outlook and interest rate notions.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 51 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 4 points lower. The NASDAQ was up 33 points.

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The venerable cattle cycle is alive and well. Derrell Peel, Extension livestock marketing specialist at Oklahoma State University provides insight to the systematic ebb and flow of the U.S. beef cattle inventory.

“Cattle cycles continue to be a regular feature of the industry for several reasons,” Peel explains, in his latest weekly market comments. “It takes rather exaggerated price signals to encourage the cow-calf sector to change course and the lengthy biology of cattle production makes changing course a slow process. Perhaps most important is the interaction between production and reproduction in the cattle industry. Since cattle have offspring one at a time, the process of expanding production when inventories are too low means that tight supplies are made even tighter to retain heifers for increased production and likewise too much supply is made even larger in the short run as more cows are culled and fewer heifers are retained for production.”

Peel points out the most recent cyclical expansion from 2014 to 2019 was the first significant one since 1990 to 1996. 

“A muted cycle from 2004 to 2007 resulted in very little expansion before more liquidation to 2014.  Cattle inventories declined 15 of 18 years from 1996 to 2014,” Peel explains. “The most recent cattle cycle began with an inventory low of 88.24 million head in 2014 with cattle numbers increasing to 94.8 million head in 2019. Modest cyclical liquidation in 2019 and 2020 brought cattle inventories down to 93.6 million head in January 2021. Herd liquidation is being exaggerated by drought in 2021. It is not clear exactly how much and how fast the industry will liquidate going forward but cattle cycles continue to be an important fundamental feature affecting cattle markets in the U.S.”

Plenty of Monday’s market attention was focused beyond cattle to equities and other commodities as Wall Street investors sold heavily, apparently mostly due to concerns tied to China’s property market. Fears are a potential global domino effect in financial markets on top of ongoing worries about the pandemic and economic growth. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 614 points, the S&P 500 closed 75 points lower and the NASDAQ was down 330 points.

Despite the heavy outside pressure, Cattle futures held their own.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 29¢ higher, except for unchanged in Mar and 5¢ lower in May.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 16¢ lower except for 55¢ higher in near Dec.

Corn futures closed 2¢ to 5¢ lower through new-crop contracts and then mostly 1¢ lower to 1¢ higher.

Soybean futures closed mostly 15¢ to 21¢ lower.

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

Last week, prices were steady to unevenly steady in the Southern Plains and Nebraska with live prices at $124/cwt. in the Texas Panhandle, $123-$124 in Kansas and $124 in Nebraska. Live prices in the western Corn Belt were $1-$3 lower at $123-$124. Dressed traded was unevenly steady at $200 in Nebraska but unevenly steady to $4 lower in the western Corn Belt at $196-$200.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.19 higher Monday afternoon at $315.66/cwt. Select was $1 higher at $280.75.

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Reduced U.S. beef imports from Australia are helping lift domestic ground beef prices, according to USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS), in the latest Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook.

“While the United States is a major global supplier of beef, it also imports beef and processing-grade beef (used for ground beef) to meet a growing consumer demand,” ERS analysts explain. “Historically, Australia is the predominant supplier of processing-grade beef to the United States, with smaller amounts coming from Brazil, Canada, and New Zealand, among other countries.”

As Australia restocks pastures from a multi-year drought, that nation has less beef to export.

For perspective, the price for 90% lean beef from Australia was $240/cwt. in February of this year, according to ERS. The price was $274 in July.

Although it will take Australia a good while to restock, ERS expects that nation’s cattle inventory to ultimately realign close to former supply levels.

“Meanwhile, as the economy reopens, the demand for beef and ground beef is expected to support beef prices,” say ERS analysts.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was mostly inactive on light demand in all major cattle feeding regions through Friday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

For the week, prices are steady to unevenly steady in the Southern Plains and Nebraska with live prices at $124/cwt. in the Texas Panhandle, $123-$124 in Kansas and $125 in Nebraska. Live prices in the western Corn Belt were $1-$3 lower at $123-$124. Dressed traded was unevenly steady at $200.

Through Thursday, the five-area direct fed steer price was 83¢ lower on a live basis at $123.90/cwt. The average steer price in the beef was $2.14 lower at $200.81.

Estimated total cattle slaughter last week was 83,000 head more than the previous week at 660,000. Year-to-date estimated total cattle slaughter of 23.7 million head was 843,000 head more (+3.7%) than the same time last year. Total year-to-date beef production of 19.57 billion lbs. was 643.3 million lbs. more (+3.4%) than the same period last year.

Cattle futures sagged lower Friday amid outside market weakness and week-end positioning.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 89¢ lower (57¢ lower at the back to $1.20 lower).

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 78¢ lower.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $3.53 lower at $314.47/cwt. Select was 52¢ lower at $279.75.

Corn futures closed 1¢ to 3¢ lower.

Soybean futures closed 8¢ to 12¢ lower through Aug ‘22 and then mostly 4¢ to 6¢ lower.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed lower Friday as investors seemed content to pick up their chips and ponder recent equity and commodity market weakness amid the continued pandemic. 

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closxed 166 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 40 points lower. The NASDAQ was down 137 points.

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U.S. beef exports’ record pace so far this year is even more impressive when you consider growing demand from countries that are just now becoming key markets.

As mentioned previously in Cattle Current, U.S. beef exports set another new value record in July, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). July export value climbed 45% from a year ago to $939.1 million, while volume was the third largest of the post-BSE era at 122,743 metric tons (mt), up 14% year-over-year.

Yet, according to analysts with USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS), shipments were less year over year to five of the top seven U.S. customers, albeit relatively small reductions.

“The rise in part reflects large shipments of U.S. beef to China, the largest U.S. beef exports to China, ever recorded, totaling almost 45 million lbs. more than the previous year,” according to ERS, in the September Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook. “Indonesia, a smaller destination, made a sizeable contribution to the increase in beef exports in July. U.S. beef exports to Indonesia totaled 7.1 million lbs., by far the largest volume the United States has ever exported to that country.”

ERS projected third-quarter U.S. beef export shipments 20 million lbs. higher than the previous estimate; 10 million lbs. higher for the fourth quarter.

The annual forecast for 2021 was revised up 30 million lbs. to 3.41 billion lbs. The forecast for 2022 was unchanged from last month at 3.27 billion lbs.,” say ERS analysts.

Cattle futures managed to close marginally lower to narrowly mixed Thursday.

Feeder Cattle futures closed narrowly mixed, from an average of 34¢ lower in four contracts to an average of 56¢ higher.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 38¢ lower, except for an average of 6¢ higher in two contracts.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was at a standstill in the Southern Plains and mostly inactive on light demand in the North through Thursday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

For the week, prices are steady to unevenly steady in the Southern Plains and Nebraska with live prices at $124/cwt. in the Texas Panhandle, $123-$124 in Kansas and $125 in Nebraska. Live prices in the western Corn Belt are $1-$3 lower at $123-$124. Dressed traded is unevenly steady at $200.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.82 lower Thursday afternoon at $318.00/cwt. Select was $3.62 lower at $280.27.

Net U.S. beef export sales for the week ending Sept. 9 were 15,300 metric tons, according to USDA’s weekly U.S. Export Sales report. That was 23% more than the previous week and 24% more than the prior four-week average. Increases were primarily for Japan, South Korea, China, Mexico, and Canada.

Corn futures closed mostly 3¢ to 4¢ lower.

Soybean futures closed fractionally higher to 1¢ higher through May ‘22 and then mostly 1¢ to 4¢ lower.

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Major U.S. financial indices mainly hovered in place Thursday amid investor caution. Weekly initial unemployment insurance claims for the week ending Sept. 11 were 332,000, which was 20,000 more than the previous week and a tad gloomier than expected.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 63 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 6 points lower. The NASDAQ was up 20 points.

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Price projections in the latest monthly Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook from USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) continue to be optimistic, especially heading into 2022.

ERS sees the 2022 annual average feeder steer price (basis 750-800 lbs., Oklahoma City) at $155.00/cwt., which would be $9.12 more than this year’s estimate and $19.55 more than the 2020 average. Prices are projected at $154 in the third quarter and $155 in the fourth quarter for an annual average of $145.88. Prices are forecast at $153 in the first quarter next year and at $151 in the second.

ERS projects the 2022 annual average five-area direct fed steer price at $128.25/cwt., which would be $6.07 more than this year’s projection and $19.74 more than 2020. Prices are projected at $124 in the third quarter and $131 in the fourth quarter for an annual average of $122.18. Prices are forecast at $133 in the first quarter next year and at $128 in the second.

“Cow slaughter is expected to be higher during the second half of the year, partly offsetting declines in steer and heifer slaughter. But, coupled with lighter expected dressed weights, the forecast for 2021 beef production was reduced to 27.74 billion lbs., down 130 million lbs. from last month,” according to ERS analysts.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was slow on light to moderate demand in the Southern Plains through Wednesday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. Live prices were generally steady at $124/cwt. in the Texas Panhandle and $123-$124 in Kansas.

Prices were unevenly steady in Nebraska at $125 on a live basis and $200 in the beef.

There were too few transactions to trend in the western Corn Belt.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $3.07 lower Wednesday afternoon at $319.82/cwt. Select was $6.73 lower at $283.89.

Cattle futures retreated Wednesday but held on to most of the previous session’s gains. Resurgent Corn futures added pressure to Feeder Cattle.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.20 lower (2¢ at the back to  to $2.15 lower toward the front).

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 59¢ lower (10¢ lower at the front to $1.10 lower at the back), except for 5¢ higher in spot Oct.

Corn futures closed 11¢ to 13¢ higher through new-crop contracts and then mostly 3¢ to 6¢ higher.

Soybean futures closed 8¢ to 12¢ higher through Nov ‘22 and then mostly 4¢ to 6¢ higher.

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Major U.S. financial indices rose Wednesday, supported by tech and energy stocks.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 236 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 37 points higher. The

NASDAQ closed 123 points higher

Crude Oil futures (WTI-CME) closed $1.65 to $2.15 higher through the front six contracts.

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“…while the four-firm concentration in fed cattle beef packing has remained relatively constant since 1994, the CPI (Consumer Price Index) for beef has been variable over that same period; sometimes above and sometimes below the overall consumer price index. If concentration is causing the recent rise in consumer prices for meat and poultry products, why did concentration not cause inflation five or 10 years ago?,” wonders Julie Anna Potts, president and CEO of the North American Meat Institute, in a letter sent Tuesday to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

The letter was in response to a White House press briefing last week where the primary focus was climbing consumer food prices. Brian Deese, National Economic Council (NEC) director and Secretary Vilsack unveiled what they called a study. You’d be hard-pressed to find a credible economist able to connect the dots and conclusions. The abbreviated bottom line is that industry consolidation is at the root of higher red meat and poultry prices.

“…Just four large conglomerates control the majority of the market for each of these three products, and the data show that these companies have been raising prices while generating record profits during the pandemic…The dynamic of a hyper-consolidated pinch point in the supply chain raises real questions about pandemic profiteering. During the pandemic, wholesale prices for beef rose much faster than input prices for cattle. That means that the prices the processors pay to ranchers aren’t increasing, but the prices collected by processors from retailers are going up.”

There’s neither time nor space to start filling in the fictional holes and inferential leaps.

Good luck getting profit data from privately owned companies, which represent a fair bit of beef packing capacity. Never mind what gross packing margins have and don’t have to do with profitability.

Few would argue that food retail prices are increasing. As mentioned in yesterday’s Cattle Current, beef and veal values were 9.6% higher year over year in pandemic-ravaged 2020, according to according to the Consumer Food Price Index from ERS. Year over year in July, those values were 6.5% higher; 4.2% higher year to date compared to the same time last year.

Everything from increased labor costs and supply chain disruptions to inflation and derived demand contribute to increasing consumer prices and the price imbalance between industry sectors.

“Before the administration attempts to recreate the animal agriculture industry, it is prudent to look back and acknowledge the benefits that flow from the food supply chains as they exist, which ERS described as ‘efficient,’ Potts explained in her letter. “In 2020, according to ERS, Americans spent an average of 8.6 percent of their disposable personal incomes on food. Indeed, Americans spend less of their disposable personal income on food than any other country in the world. This remarkable drop is attributable largely to systematic efficiencies that allow food processors to offer food to consumers at lower prices.”