WLI

Negotiated cash fed cattle prices finished last week $2 higher in Nebraska on a live basis at $132/cwt. and $2-$4 higher at $132 in the Southern Plains and the western Corn Belt. Fed cattle in Colorado also sold for $132, but there’s been no trend reported in that region for some time. Dressed prices were $3-$5 higher at $207.

Through Thursday, the five-area direct average steer price was $131.35/cwt. on a live basis, which was $3.23 more than the previous week. The five-area average steer price in the beef was $4.55 higher at $206.60.

“This week’s five-area weighted average price is the highest price since June 2017 and the first week the price has exceeded $130 since that same time period,” explained Andrew P. Griffith, agricultural economist at the University of Tennessee, in his weekly market comments. “The spring price peak in 2017 was just over $144/cwt., but the spring price spike was short lived. The difference in today’s market is that the market is in a position to sustain prices in excess of $130 for several months. Fed cattle prices are not likely to spike, but methodically increase.”

Total estimated cattle slaughter last week was 655,000 head, which was 5,000 head more than the previous week. Year-to-date total estimated cattle slaughter of 28.9 million head was 844,000 head more (+3.0%) than the same period a year earlier. Total estimated year-to-date beef production through last week of 23.9 billion lbs. was 601.8 million lbs. more (+2.6%) than a year earlier.

Rallying Corn futures pressured Cattle futures Friday, especially Feeder Cattle.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 25¢ lower, except for 25¢ higher in spot Dec. They closed an average of 33¢ lower week to week on Friday, except for an average of 27¢ higher in two contracts. 

Corn futures faded early-week pressure from the monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates. On Friday, they closed 5¢ to 7¢ higher through Jly ’22 and then mostly 2¢ higher. Week to week on Friday, they were an average of 18¢ higher through the front six contracts. 

Soybean futures rallied higher, helped along by decreased projected yield in the WASDE. They closed 21¢ to 23¢ higher through Aug ’22 and then mostly 10¢ to 17¢ higher. Week to week on Friday, they were an average of 38.4¢ higher through the front six contracts.

******************************

Cash calf and feeder cattle prices were mixed last week, but continued to show upside promise.

“The strong run of lightweight calves and slaughter cows the past several weeks has pressured prices for these classes of cattle, but prices have not faltered as much as the seasonal tendency would predict,” according to Griffith. “Most producers with spring calving herds will have marketed the 2021 calf crop and culled cows from the herd by early December. This means the price of these two classes of cattle will soon turn around and begin to seasonally increase as supply begins to wane.”

In the meantime, rallying grain futures pressured Feeder Cattle futures last week. They closed an average of $2.02 lower week to week on Friday ($1.50 lower toward the back to $2.62 lower in spot Nov). That was with an average decline of $1.13 on Friday. 

“The longer term outlook is for prices of cattle to continue increasing as there is an expectation of a bull market the next two to three years,” Griffith says. “However, the higher cattle price expectation in 2022 may not be able to overcome higher input costs for feed, fuel and fertilizer. Producers are encouraged to begin evaluating alternative production plans to reduce the dependency on these three inputs as prices are expected to remain elevated through the spring and potentially longer.”

******************************

Wholesale beef values show signs of reaching a seasonal peak sooner than normal, but robust international demand for U.S. beef continues to strengthen the price floor.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 38¢ lower Thursday afternoon at $285.14/cwt. Select was 67¢ higher at $267.29. Week to week, Choice was $5.24 lower. Select was $2.01 higher.

“Despite the wholesale price of beef remaining elevated, international markets continue to be a vacuum for the high-quality beef and beef products being produced in the United States. The fact beef continues to move at a strong pace to international customers is a good indicator that demand remains strong for beef,” Griffith says. “There are sure to be some market analysts who will raise concerns about export demand slowing, which is always a possibility with customers like China. However, Japan and South Korea continue to lead the way as the top destinations with China being a solid third place followed by Mexico and Canada.”

Year-to-date U.S. beef exports remained on a record pace through September.

******************************

Major U.S. financial indices closed higher Friday, bouncing back from pressure earlier in the week from the stoutest inflation in three decades.

 The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 179 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 33 points higher. The NASDAQ was up 156 points.

******************************

On Friday, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) called on Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to immediately suspend all imports of fresh beef from Brazil to the United States.

In the letter to USDA, NCBA asked for a suspension until the agency conducts a thorough risk assessment and review of the processes that Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply (MAPA) uses to detect disease and other threats to consumers. NCBA also urged USDA to review Brazil’s veterinary diagnostic laboratory system.

The U.S. and Brazil share “Negligible Risk” status for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) with the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). However, according to NCBA, reports published by OIE indicate Brazil took more than eight weeks to report two confirmed cases of atypical BSE in September. The OIE requires countries to report within 24 hours for any animal disease event that could be of international concern for public health emergencies.

“It’s time to keep Brazilian fresh beef out of this country until USDA can confirm that Brazil meets the same consumer and food safety standards that we apply to all our trade partners,” says Ethan Lane, NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs.

“NCBA has long expressed concerns about Brazil’s history of failing to report atypical BSE cases in a timely manner, a pattern that stretches back as far as 2012. Their poor track record and lack of transparency raises serious doubts about Brazil’s ability to produce cattle and beef at an equivalent level of safety as American producers. If they cannot meet that bar, their product has no place here,” Lane says.

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

So far this week, live prices are $2-$3 higher in the Southern Plains at $131-$132/cwt., $2 higher at $132 in Nebraska and the western Corn Belt. Dressed prices are $3-$5 higher at $207.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 38¢ lower Thursday afternoon at $285.14/cwt. Select was 67¢ higher at $267.29.

Live Cattle futures wavered in place Thursday, while a break in the Corn rally helped Feeder Cattle breathe higher.

Live Cattle futures closed narrowly mixed from unchanged to an average of 17¢ lower.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 68¢ higher (42¢ to $1.02 higher).

Corn futures closed mostly 1¢ to 3¢ lower.

Soybean futures closed 2¢ to 8¢ higher through Sep ’22 and then mostly fractionally lower to 1¢ lower.

******************************

Major U.S. financial indices closed narrowly mixed Thursday as investors appeared to be digesting direction amid increasing inflation.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 158 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 2 points higher. The NASDAQ was up 81 points.

******************************

“After three Congressional hearings featuring the testimony of industry experts and a major economic analysis of the beef supply chain out of Texas A&M, Senators continue to ignore market fundamentals and are attempting to guarantee higher prices for livestock producers,” according to Julie Anna Potts, President and CEO of the North American Meat Institute.

Potts was referring to new bipartisan compromise legislation — the Cattle Market Price Discovery and Transparency Act — announced by U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) earlier this week.

Among other things, the law would establish regional mandatory minimum thresholds of negotiated cash and negotiated grid trades based on regional average 18-month trade levels.

“If this bill becomes law, there will be cattle producers who want alternative marketing arrangements, but will instead be forced to sell on the cash market, and the industry will turn back time to the days of commodity cattle,” Potts says.

She offers relevant statements made by expert agricultural economists during the aforementioned Congressional hearings.

For instance, in Senate testimony, Glynn Tonsor, agricultural economist at Kansas State University explained, “Stated directly – without contemporary use of alternative marketing agreements I believe cattle prices would be lower as production efforts would not align as well with consumer demands.”

In House testimony, Jayson Lusk, agricultural economist at Purdue noted, “Even if 100 percent of cattle were being sold on the cash market, it doesn’t mean prices would have been any higher than what we recently observed.”

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was slow with light to moderate demand in all major cattle feeding regions through Wednesday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Live prices were $2-$3 higher in the Southern Plains at $131-$132/cwt., $2 higher in Nebraska at $132 and $1-$2 higher in the western Corn Belt at $131-$132. There were too few dressed trades for a trend: $202-$204 last week.

Live Cattle futures were unable to capitalize on the stronger cash price, however. They closed narrowly mixed, from an average of 11¢ lower in five contracts to an average of 11¢ higher. Part of the pressure was likely due to lower wholesale beef prices.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $2.28 lower Wednesday afternoon at $285.52/cwt. Select was $4.00 lower at $266.62.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.26 lower with weight from resurgent grain futures.

Corn futures closed 13¢ to 14¢ higher in the front four contracts and then mostly 6¢ to 8¢ higher.

Soybean futures closed mainly 3¢ to 5¢ higher.

******************************

Major U.S. financial indices closed lower Wednesday with weaker tech stocks and renewed inflation concerns.

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.9% in October on a seasonally adjusted basis after rising 0.4% in September, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 6.2% before seasonal adjustment.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 240 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 38 points lower. The NASDAQ was down 263 points.

******************************

Increasing feedlot cost of gain is pushing cattle out of the feedlot sooner, based on Kansas State University’s (KSU) Focus on Feedlots (FF) data.

In September, compared to a year earlier, analysts with the Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC) say the FF data indicates steers were on feed for an average of 159 days, compared to 175 days the previous year and 165 days for the five-year average (2015-19).

Likewise, heifers were on feed for an average of 169 days in September, versus 176 days last year and 160 days for the five-year average.

“Although average days on feed is lower, feedlots show cattle on feed over 120 days in October was up 3.3% from last year and 7.6% above the five-year average,” say LMIC analysts, in the latest Livestock Monitor.

Since the beginning of this year, those analysts explain average cost of gain for steers is up 32.8% ($27/cwt.) and heifer cost of gain is up 37.2% ($32). Average cost of gain in September was $109.29/cwt. for steers and $118.34 for heifers, the priciest in about eight years.

“It is also worth noting that the KSU Feedlot average cost of gain data does not include the cost of feeder, yardage, and interest costs,” LMIC analysts say. “Higher average cost of gain is primarily due to rising feed costs for corn, up 47.7% ($2.25) and ground alfalfa hay, up 31.2% ($43) since the start of the year. The higher cost of gain will also motivate cattle feeders to market cattle quicker.”

Cattle futures drifted lower Tuesday with traders apparently waiting for further cash direction.

Live Cattle futures closed narrowly mixed, from an average of 27¢ lower in four contracts to an average of 14¢ higher.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 60¢ lower.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ranged from mostly inactive on light demand to a standstill through Tuesday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Last week, prices were at $128-$130/cwt. in the Southern Plains and the western Corn Belt; $130 in Nebraska. Dressed prices were $202-$204.

Early on, bets seem to favor steady to higher prices this week.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 85¢ lower Monday afternoon at $287.80/cwt. Select was $2.02 higher at $270.62/cwt.

Grain futures, especially Soybeans firmed Tuesday with friendlier projections than expected in the monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (see below).

Corn futures closed mostly 3¢ higher.

Soybean futures closed mostly 19¢ to 23¢ higher.

******************************

Major U.S. financial indices closed lower Tuesday, with seemingly more attention paid to inflation indicators.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 112 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 16 points lower. The NASDAQ was down 95 points.

******************************

USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) increased the projected annual five-area direct average steer price for this year by $1.25 to $121.31/cwt., in the latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE), based on continued firm demand.

That’s with beef production this year projected to be 53 million lbs. more than the previous month to 27.88 billion lbs. on higher expected slaughter of fed cattle and heavier carcass weights.

The annual average price for next year was forecast $1 higher at $130.

Beef production next year was estimated to be 885 million lbs. less than this year (-3.17%).

Projected average steer prices were projected at $128 in the fourth quarter this year.

Next year, the five are direct average steer price was forecast at $132 in the first quarter, $129 in the second quarter and at $127 in the third quarter.

ERS projected total red meat and poultry production this year 171 million lbs. more than the previous month at 106.73 billion lbs. Total red meat and poultry production next year was forecast to be 463 million lbs. less than this year (-0.43%) at 106.27 billion lbs.

Corn

Corn production was forecast 43 million bu. more than the previous month to 15.06 billion bu., with average yield forecast 0.5 bu./acre more at 177.0bu./acre. Corn used for ethanol production was increased 50 million bu. With use rising slightly more than supply, corn ending stocks were lowered 7 million bu.

The season-average corn price received by producers was unchanged at $5.45/bu.

Soybeans

ERS lowered projected soybean production by 23 million bu. to 4.42 billion bu., but they also reduced expected exports. With use falling more than supply, soybean ending stocks were raised 20 million bu.

The U.S. season-average soybean price for 2020-21 was forecast 25¢ lower to $12.10/bu. Projected soybean meal and oil prices were unchanged at $325.00 per short ton and 65.0¢/lb., respectively.

Wheat

The forecast for 2021-22 U.S. wheat was for lower supplies, higher domestic use, reduced exports, and slightly higher ending stocks, compared to the previous month.

Supplies were reduced 10 million bu. on lower anticipated imports. Total domestic use was projected 2 million bushels higher. Exports were lowered 15 million bu. Projected 2021-22 ending stocks were raised 3 million bu. to 583 million, which would leave the lowest U.S. ending stocks since 2007-08.

The projected 2021-22 season-average farm price for wheat was raised 20¢ to $6.90/bu.

Cattle futures edged higher Monday as traders adjusted to last week’s strong rally.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 23¢ higher (5¢ to 40¢) except for unchanged in Feb ’22.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 62¢ higher, except for 30¢ and 38¢ lower at either end of the board.

Grain futures, especially Soybeans added support, under pressure from apparent positioning ahead of Tuesday’s monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ranged from limited on very light demand to a standstill through Monday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Last week, live prices were at $128-$130/cwt. in the Southern Plains and the western Corn Belt; $130 in Nebraska. Dressed prices were $202-$204.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 89¢ lower Monday afternoon at $288.65/cwt. Select was $1.08 higher at $267.52/cwt.

******************************

Major U.S. financial indices closed higher again with the S&P 500 closing above 4,700 for the first time. Corporate earnings and other positive economic data seem to be overriding inflationary concerns for now.  

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 104 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 4 points higher. The NASDAQ was up 11 points.

******************************

“The long-awaited improvement in fed cattle markets appears to have arrived with fed cattle prices jumping roughly $5/cwt. the past two weeks,” says Derrell Peel, Extension livestock marketing specialist at Oklahoma State University, in his weekly market comments.

He explains the improvements include working through backlogged feedlot placements resulting from supply chain disruptions last year and the Tyson fire in August of 2019.

“Those dynamics pushed the cyclical peak in feedlot production into 2021. The fed cattle market problems are the result of this peak feedlot production constrained by packing industry capacity limitations,” Peel explains. “Long-term reductions in packing industry infrastructure combined with chronic labor limitations, which predate but were made worse by COVID-19, added months to the time needed to improve the fed cattle market situation.”   

As the backlog of cattle finally clears, he explains cattle and beef markets will be able to realign and rebalance.

“The industry will be better positioned to capitalize on the optimism that has been building in recent months,” Peel says. “Tighter supply and continued strong demand will take markets to higher levels.  Strong wholesale and retail prices have been pulling on the industry most of this year. The trade picture continues to improve with the latest data showing additional growth in beef exports and reduced beef imports. On the supply side, feeder cattle markets, already higher year over year, are increasingly supported by cyclically reduced feeder cattle supplies and poised to benefit even more from higher fed cattle prices.”

Plenty of challenges remain, but mostly from the input side of the equation as feed and fertilizer prices escalate.

“Drought continues to be a major factor in many regions and will not only directly impact producers in those regions but will also determine the trajectory of the industry in the coming years. Higher crop and feed ingredient prices are a particular challenge for feedlots but also for cow-calf and stocker producers, most especially those struggling with drought-reduced feed and forage availability,” Peel says. He adds that pervasive labor issues and supply chain disruptions will continue to impact input and output markets in the coming months.

But, barring any new black swans, fundamentals should be driving cattle prices.