WLI

Negotiated cash fed cattle prices Wednesday were steady to $2 lower in the Southern Plains at $95/cwt. on a live basis; steady to $1 higher in Nebraska at $95-$96. Dressed trade for the week is $1 lower in Nebraska at $154-$155; steady to $4 lower in the western Corn Belt at $152-$155.

Cattle feeders offered 1,814 head in the weekly Fed Cattle Exchange Auction. There were 144 head—one lot of Kansas steers—selling for a weighted average price of $95/cwt., for delivery at 1-9 days. Two other lots were passed out at $93.

Cattle futures wobbled to start the day but picked up steam as the day progressed. Depending on your leanings, Live Cattle seem to be looking past the current backlog of fed cattle, or largely priced it in a ways back.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of $1.31 higher.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 80¢ higher (22¢ higher in spot Aug to $1.42 higher).

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.59 lower Wednesday afternoon at $205.38/cwt. Select was $1.47 lower at $198.43.

Grain futures extended gains Wednesday, buoyed by USDA’s recent reports.

Corn futures closed 8¢ to 10¢ higher through Jul ’21 and then 3¢ to 4¢ higher.

Soybean futures closed 16¢ to 19¢ higher.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed mixed on Wednesday, with nervousness about the economy’s start-and-stop reopening countered by positive employment news.

Private sector employment increased by 2.37 million in June, according to the ADP National Employment Report^®.

“As the economy slowly continues to recover, we are seeing a significant

rebound in industries that once experienced the greatest job losses. In fact, 70% of the jobs added this month were in the leisure and hospitality, trade and construction industries,” says Ahu Yildirmaz, vice president and co-head of the ADP Research Institute.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 77 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 15 points higher. The NASDAQ closed 95 points higher.

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“Slaughter cow prices have been one of the few bright spots for cattle producers over the past few months. Slaughter cow prices in the Southern Plains averaged $57.84/cwt. over the past six weeks of available data, which is 19.5% above the same period in 2019. Generally, cull cow markets are most directly related with ground beef demand,” says Josh Maples, Extension livestock economist at Mississippi State University, in the latest issue of In the Cattle Markets.

Total cow slaughter so far this year is about par with 2019, with beef cow slaughter up about 2% and dairy cow slaughter down about 2%, according to Maples. He notes the 6.7% increase in beef cow slaughter during the first two weeks of June is likely due in part to delayed marketing by some producers.

“Lower calf prices could drive increased beef cow culling later in the year,” Maples says. “Dairy slaughter is near the seasonal low point and milk prices have rebounded, which may prevent significant dairy cow culling. While the supply picture is becoming a little clearer, ground beef demand will continue to be key for support of beef cow cull prices.”

There was no Afternoon Slaughter Cattle Review from USDA at press time. However, the Direct Slaughter Cattle Reporting Dashboard from AMS had live cattle on Tuesday bringing an average of just over $97/cwt.; close to $153 in the beef.

Cattle futures started the day in positive territory before USDA’s grain-friendly Acreage and Grain Stocks reports pounded Feeder Cattle futures.

Other than $3.35 lower in expiring spot Jun and 20¢ higher in the back contract, Live Cattle futures closed an average of 20¢ lower.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.00 lower (65¢ lower in spot Aug to $1.20 lower).

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.39 lower Tuesday afternoon at $206.97/cwt. Select was 81¢ lower at $199.90.

Corn and soybean futures bounced higher Tuesday, buoyed by the aforementioned USDA reports.

Corn futures closed 12¢ to 15¢ higher through Jul ’21 and then 4¢ to 7¢ higher.

Soybean futures closed 16¢ to 20¢ higher through Mar ’21 and then mostly fractionally higher to 12¢ higher.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed higher again Tuesday, led by tech stocks and despite continuing concerns about increasing coronavirus cases.

In remarks to the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services, Federal Reserve Chair, Jerome Powell put it this way: “Output and employment remain far below their pre-pandemic levels. The path forward for the economy is extraordinarily uncertain and will depend in large part on our success in containing the virus. A full recovery is unlikely until people are confident that it is safe to reengage in a broad range of activities.”

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 217 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 47 points higher. The NASDAQ closed 184 points higher.

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USDA projects acres of all hay harvested this year at 52.38 million acres, which would be 44,000 fewer acres (-0.08%) than last year, according to the Acreage report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

The decline comes in forecast acres of alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures at 16.35 million acres, which would be 381,000 fewer acres (-2.33%) than last year. All other hay acres of 36.03 million acres would be 347,000 acres more (+0.97%) than the previous year.

Corn acreage is projected at 92.01 million acres, which would be 2.31 million acres more (+2.57%) than last year. However, the projection is about 5 million acres less than the initial outlook in USDA’s Prospective Plantings report that came out at the end of March. Acreage harvested for grain is forecast at 84.02 million acres, which would be 2.70 million acres more (+3.32%) than last year.

Corn stocks in all positions June 1 totaled 5.22 billion bu., according to USDA’s Grain Stocks report. That’s 21.43 million bu. more (+0.41%) than the same time last year.

Of total corn stocks, 3.03 billion bu. are stored on farms, up 3% from a year earlier. Off-farm stocks, at 2.20 billion bu., are down 2% percent from a year ago.

Soybean acres are estimated to be 7.73 million acres more (+3.32%) than last year at 83.83 million acres. That’s about 325,000 acres more than the Prospective Plantings projection. Harvested soybean acres are forecast at 83.02 million acres, which would be 8.07 million acres more (+10.77%) than the previous year.

Soybean stocks in all positions June 1 of 1.39 billion bu. were 397.09 million bu. less (-22.7%) than the same time a year earlier.

On-farm soybean stocks totaled 633 million bu., down 13% from a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at 753 million bu., were 28% less than a year ago.

Acreage for all wheat this year is estimated at 44.25 million acres, which would be 908,000 fewer acres (-2.01%) than last year and the least since records began in 1919. Harvested wheat acres are projected at 36.68 million acres, which would be 484,000 fewer acres (-1.30%) than the prior year.

Wheat stocks stored in all positions June 1 of 1.04 billion bu. were 35.92 million bu. less (-3.32%) than the prior year.

On-farm all wheat stocks were estimated at 232 million bu., up 12% from a year earlier. Off-farm stocks of 812 million bu., are 7% less.

Packers up north got a head start on the holiday-shortened week Monday, paying steady to $3 less for negotiated cash fed cattle at $153/cwt. on a dressed basis in the western Corn Belt.

The five-area average direct fed steer price last week was $96.21/cwt. on a live basis, which was $4.57 less than the prior week. The average steer price in the beef was $154.78, which was $5.92 less. Prices the same week last year were $110.13 and $179.02, respectively.

Even so, Cattle futures ended Monday higher, helped along by outside markets and despite the bounce in Corn futures. Higher wholesale beef values also helped.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 64¢ higher.

Except for 20¢ lower in the back contract, Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 50¢ higher. 

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.19 higher Monday afternoon at $208.36/cwt. Select was $1.86 higher at $200.71.

Grain futures traded higher, perhaps buoyed by positioning ahead of Tuesday’s Grain Stocks and Acreage reports due from USDA.

Corn futures closed 7¢ to 9¢ higher through Sep ’21 and then 4¢ to 6¢ higher.

Soybean futures closed mostly 1¢ higher through Jan ’21 and then mostly 5¢ to 6¢ higher.

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Major U.S. financial indices on Monday bounced back from steep losses in the previous session.

Positive news on the day included a record rebound in pending home sales, according to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR).

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator of home sales based on contract signings, rose 44.3% to 99.6 in May, the stoutest month-over-month gain since NAR started the series in January 2001. However, contract signings were 5.1% less year over year.

“The outlook has significantly improved, as new home sales are expected to be higher this year than last, and annual existing-home sales are now projected to be down by less than 10%, even after missing the spring buying season due to the pandemic lockdown,” says Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 580 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 44 points higher. The NASDAQ closed 116 points higher.

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“After the disappointing shortages and high beef prices during Memorial Day, the improved beef situation for this grilling holiday is a great relief,” says Derrell Peel, Extension livestock marketing specialist at Oklahoma State University.  “Grocery stores should be well stocked in time for July 4 and retail prices are adjusting down rapidly. For individual stores, it may depend on their particular supply arrangements.” 

In his weekly market comments, Peel explains actual slaughter for the week ending June 13 exceeded year-ago levels for the first time since the first week of April.

Of course, supplies of competing meats are growing, too.

Although decreased broiler chick placements in April and May will likely lead to a modest third-quarter decrease in production, Peel says total production for beef, pork and broilers is projected to increase to a new annual record this year.

As for pork, Peel explains, the most recent Quarterly Hogs and Pigs (June) report pegged the total hog inventory at 79.6 million head, up 5.2% year over year and 3.0% more than in March.

According to Peel, beef production this year is projected at 27.41 billion lbs., 0.6% more than last year. Pork production for the year is estimated to be 3.4% more the last year at 28.47 billion lbs. and broiler production is projected 1.7% more at 44.16 billion lbs. Total red meat and poultry production is projected to be 1.9% more than last year at 106.74 billion lbs.

Negotiated cash fed cattle prices ended the week solidly lower, according to reports from the Agricultural Marketing Service. Regionally, live prices were $5-$7 lower in the Texas Panhandle at $93-$95/cwt., $5 less in Kansas at $95, $3-$7 lower in Nebraska at $95 and $1-$4 less in the western Corn Belt at $98. Dressed trade was $3-$7 less at $155-$156 in Nebraska and at $153-$156 in the western Corn Belt.

The five-area average direct fed steer price through Thursday was $96.24/cwt. on a live basis, which was $4.58 lower than the previous week and $14.34 less than the same period a year earlier. The average dressed steer price was $154.78, which was $5.96 less than the prior week and $24.58 less than a year earlier.

Cattle futures softened to end the week, amid the lower cash fed cattle prices, possible month-end and quarter-end positioning, as well as the picture painted by the monthly Livestock Slaughter report (see below).

Except for 52¢ higher in waning spot Jun, Live Cattle futures closed an average of 62¢ lower (5¢ to 97¢ lower).

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.08 lower (65¢ lower to $1.75 lower).

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.09 lower Friday afternoon at $207.17/cwt. Select was $1.08 lower at $198.85.

USDA estimated total cattle slaughter for the week at 680,000 head, which would be 3.7% more than the previous week and 1.5% more than the same week last year. Total beef production under federal inspection was estimated at 562.3 million lbs., which would be 3.9% more than the previous week and 5.3% more than the same week last year.

Corn futures closed fractionally lower to 1¢ lower.

Soybean futures closed mostly 7¢ to 9¢ lower.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed sharply lower Friday on renewed fears that recent spikes in COVID-19 will further slow nascent economic rebuilding.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 730 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 74 points lower. The NASDAQ closed 259 points lower.

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The latest Livestock Slaughter report from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) provides insight to recent packing disruptions, including a reflection of how increased carcass weights are impacting total beef production. Keep in mind, there were two fewer business days in May this year compared to 2019.

Federally inspected beef production in May of 1.83 billion lbs. was 473.3 million lbs. less than the previous year (-20.6%), but 45.6 million lbs. more than the previous month (+2.6%).

Beef production for January through May of 10.50 billion lbs. was 364.7 million lbs. less than the same period a year earlier (-3.4%).

There were 1.70 million fed steers and heifers harvested in January-May, which was just 45,800 head more (+2.8%) than the previous month and 626,100 head fewer (-26.9%) less than May of last year.

For January through May, the 9.8 million steers and heifers slaughtered was 785,600 head fewer (-7.4%) than the same period a year earlier.

The 3.7 million fed heifers harvested in January through May were 199,100 more (+5.0%) than the same time a year earlier.

The 1.3 million beef cows harvested in January through May were 20,100 head more (+1.6%) than the same time a year earlier.

Federally inspected total red meat production of 3.71 billion lbs. in May was 820.3 million lbs. less than the previous May (-18.1%), and 108.2 million lbs. less than in April (-2.8%).

Total red meat production for January through May of 21.81 billion lbs. was 419.7 million lbs. less than the same period a year earlier (-1.9%).