WLI

Negotiated cash fed cattle prices continued softer week-to-week on Wednesday. Live prices were $117/cwt. in the Texas Panhandle, $110-$117 in Kansas and mostly $117 in Nebraska. Dressed trades were at $175-$185.

Cattle feeders offered 1,736 head in the weekly Fed Cattle Exchange auction Wednesday. Just one lot–199 steers from Texas–sold at a weighted average price of $110.50/cwt. for delivery at 1-17 days.

Despite softer cash prices, surging outside markets helped support Cattle futures on Wednesday.

Except for 10¢ lower in the back two contracts, Live Cattle futures closed an average of 40¢ higher, from 2¢ higher to $1.15 higher.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average 84¢ higher.

Wholesale beef values continue to plunge as packing capacity recovers. Choice boxed beef cutout value was $22.83 lower Wednesday afternoon at $295.90/cwt. Select was $13.80 lower at $276.78.

Corn futures closed mostly fractionally higher to 1¢ higher.

Soybean futures closed 5¢ to 7¢ higher through Jan ’21 and then mostly 3¢ to 4¢ higher.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed strongly higher Wednesday.

Positive news included fewer lost jobs than originally anticipated, based on the closely watched ADP National Employment Report^®. Still, private sector employment decreased by 2.76 million jobs from April to May, according to the report. 

“The impact of the COVID-19 crisis continues to weigh on businesses of all sizes,” says Ahu Yildirmaz, co-head of the ADP Research Institute. “While the labor market is still reeling from the effects of the pandemic, job loss likely peaked in April, as many states have begun a phased reopening of businesses.”

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 527 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 42 points higher. The NASDAQ closed 74 points higher. Those were the highest levels since the first part of March.

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“It’s too soon to talk too much about markets returning to normal, but the steady improvements associated with the packing industry facing fewer obstacles is a relief,” says Stephen Koontz, agricultural economist at Colorado State University, in the latest issue of In the Cattle Markets from the Livestock Marketing Information Center.

Koontz explains recent weekly commercial cattle slaughter under federal inspection is a little more than 71% of the year’s peak weekly volume, before COVID-19 began reducing slaughter capacity. The low point was approximately 60% of the peak.

“These slaughter numbers will determine when the cattle and beef markets return to more normal relationships,” Koontz says. “There are very large supplies and substantial inventory of long-fed cattle on feed. There has been a steady improvement in fed cattle and feeder cattle prices through last month and into the current. Continued improvement hinges on any further disruptions and steady elevation in slaughter numbers.”

From the lows of the year, Koontz points out: the five-area weighted average fed steer price is up about $15 at $115/cwt.; 7 to 8-weight feeder prices are up about $15 to $135; 4 to 5-weight calf prices are up about $8 to $170.

“But let’s not forget those steer and heifer slaughter weights are in a contra- seasonal increase and are no less than 40 lbs. per animal above last year. That’s a 4.8% increase in beef supplies due to carcass weights,” Koontz says. “And there are 4.8 million head of cattle on feed over 120 days, based on the last report. Working through these supplies will easily require the rest of the summer.”

Early negotiated cash fed cattle trade on Monday was unevenly steady with the bulk of last week’s trade. Live prices were at $118/cwt. in the Southern Plains and Nebraska. Dresses sales in Nebraska and the western Corn Belt were at $178-$187.

Cattle futures closed mixed but mainly higher Monday as traders weigh short term beef demand against increasing supplies and lower boxed beef values.

Live Cattle futures closed mixed, an average of 70¢ lower through the front three contracts (5¢ to $1.42 lower) and then an average of 88¢ higher.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $2.05 higher.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $22.19 lower Monday afternoon at $341.15/cwt. Select was $23.24 lower at $316.83.

Corn futures closed mostly 2¢ to 3¢ lower.

Soybean futures closed mostly unchanged to 1¢ higher.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed higher Monday, apparently on increasing optimism about reopening the economy and despite trade-quashing chatter between the U.S. and China, as well as curfews imposed in various cities, aimed at quelling recent violent protests.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 91 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 11 points higher. The NASDAQ closed 62 points higher.

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“Barring a major setback, it appears that beef markets are moving past the worst of the disruptions that have caused upheaval in recent weeks,” says Derrell Peel, Extension livestock marketing specialist at Oklahoma State University, in his weekly market comments. “The last few weeks have revealed much about the nature of specialized beef supply chains and much about the variable demands for the wide variety of beef products. It has also revealed how market prices adjust to wild swings in beef product demand and supply conditions.”

Those disruptions were first spawned by the massive shift in consumer beef demand toward retail purchases and away from food service as the pandemic quarantine began. Then came the disruptions to beef packing and processing.

“Cattle slaughter and beef production decreased on a year-over-year basis for four consecutive weeks. The lowest point occurred the last week of April when total cattle slaughter was down 34.8% year over year. Beef production that same week was down 33.8% compared to the same week one year ago,” Peel says.  “Significant recovery has occurred from that low with estimated cattle slaughter the week ending May 30 down 10.9% year over year. With cattle carcass weights increasing sharply due to delays in marketing fed cattle, estimated beef production last week was down just 7.6% year over year.”

Along the way, wholesale beef values skyrocketed overall, while price impacts varied across the carcass. For example, Peel points to increased demand for the Chuck and Round from March through April. Conversely, he explains prices for beef products dependent on food service demand, including many middle meat cuts, dropped in March before general shortages of products pushed prices higher in April and May. 

“Additional dynamics are expected as food service continues a slow recovery and macroeconomic conditions continue to affect beef demand, but hopefully beef product markets are settling back into a much more stable situation and with typical product price relationships reestablished,” Peel says. 

Negotiated cash fed cattle prices continued across a broad range last week. On a live basis, prices were steady to $5 lower in the Texas Panhandle at $115-$120/cwt., $5 less in Kansas at $115, steady to $7 less in Nebraska at $112-$120 and steady to $1 higher in the western Corn Belt at $115. Dressed prices were steady to $12 lower in Nebraska at $178-$190 and $5-$15 lower in the western Corn Belt at $175-$185.

Through Thursday, the five-area direct weighted steer price was $115.65/cwt. on a live basis and $183.30 in the beef. Week to week, that was $1.64 less and 45¢ less, respectively.

Cattle futures closed lower Friday, likely influenced by week-end and month-end position squaring. Never mind wonderments about how much packers are currently supporting fed cattle prices, relative to the lower levels suggested by fundamentals.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of $1.30 lower, (7¢ lower at the back to $1.75 lower in spot Jun).

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.01 lower (15¢ lower in spot Aug to $1.52 lower at the back).

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $6.22 lower Friday afternoon at $363.34/cwt. Select was $4.02 lower at $340.07.

Corn futures closed mostly 1¢ lower.

Soybean futures closed 4¢ to 6¢ lower through Jan ’21 and then mostly fractionally mixed to 1¢ lower.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed mixed Friday, amid volatile trade related to rising political tensions between the U.S. and China.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 17 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 14 points higher. The NASDAQ closed 120 points higher.

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Disruptions in cattle slaughter, due to COVID-19, cloud the picture but analysts with the Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC) expect USDA’s July 1 Cattle report to reveal further declines in beef cow numbers.

“A smaller July 1 inventory will imply the same situation for Jan. 1, 2021. This would be the second consecutive year-on-year decline for the beef breeding herd that has only just begun this liquidation phase, which may now be sharper than previously expected,” say LMIC analysts, in the latest Livestock Monitor.

Before the pandemic began disrupting packing plants, LMIC analysts point out weekly beef cow harvest was running well ahead of year-ago levels. Beef cow slaughter was 2% to 20% below year-ago levels for the last seven weeks.

As for heifer slaughter, it’s 4% less so far this year, compared to 2019.

“Smaller heifer slaughter would normally imply, when discussing inventory, the possibility that this liquidation phase of the cattle cycle is over and producers are adding breeding type animals. There may be some individuals that are doing so, but the national picture suggests otherwise,” say LMIC analysts. “The decrease in heifer slaughter is misleading for a couple of reasons, but is not indicative of breeding herd growth. First, slaughter disruptions have caused data patterns that are atypical. The backlog of fed cattle is likely skewed towards more heifers; because of the lighter dressed weight, they can likely stay on feed longer than a heavyweight steer. Second, heifer slaughter should fall below a year ago after last year’s large numbers of heifers on feed and a smaller 2019 calf crop. Lastly, producers are cautious after a couple of years of negative returns for cow-calf operations. Many are not thinking of expanding. Adding worry for many in the West is the expanding drought conditions.”

Along with weather and forage availability, economics will continue to drive decisions about herd liquidation or expansion.

“Calf prices improved in recent weeks, but it remains to be seen what fall-weaned calves will bring. LMIC currently sees fourth-quarter calf prices as similar to a year ago,” explain LMIC analysts. “Expenses and feed costs are expected to be lower, and cull cow values have improved in some areas from last year. Under these assumptions, cow-calf returns should be better than the year before, but the outlook is still full of uncertainty.”