WLI

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade developed in the Southern Plains Wednesday at $116/cwt., which was $1 higher than last week.

That matched optimism in the weekly Fed Cattle Exchange Auction, where 1,229 head—three lots each from Kansas and Nebraska—sold out of 1,398 head: 283 head for a weighted average price of $116/cwt. (delivery at 1-9 days) and 946 head for a weighted average price of $115.44 (delivery at 1-17 days). One other lot of Texas heifers was passed at $114.50 for delivery at 1-9 days.

Although too few to trend, there were also some early sales in Nebraska Wednesday at $114-$116 and some in the beef at $184, which was $2 higher than the previous week. Early live sales in the western Corn Belt were steady to $2 higher at $115-$117.

Cattle futures were mixed Wednesday, mainly higher toward the front of the board for Live Cattle, but lower for Feeder Cattle, perhaps with defensive positioning ahead of Friday’s Cattle on Feed report (see below).

Live Cattle futures closed narrowly mixed from an average of 27¢ lower to an average of 21¢ higher.

After unchanged and 5¢ higher in the front two contracts, Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 41¢ lower.

Wholesale beef values were weak to lower on moderate demand and offerings, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 80¢ lower Wednesday afternoon at $238.21/cwt. Select was 70¢ lower at $214.77.

Corn futures closed mostly 1¢ to 3¢ lower.

Soybean futures closed 1¢ to 6¢ lower through Nov ’20 and then 1¢ to 2¢ higher.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed lower Wednesday. Despite strong earnings from retailers like Lowe’s and Target, pressure came on chatter that the first phase of the U.S.-China trade deal might not get signed this year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 112 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 11 points lower. The NASDAQ was down 49 points.

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Pre-report estimates of feedlot placements in October are canyon-wide, which could jolt markets one way or the other, after the monthly Cattle on Feed report comes out Friday.

Allendale Inc. projects October placements at 2.163 million head, which would be 3.8% less than the previous year and the least for the month in seven years.

On the other hand, the average estimate of analysts surveyed by Urner Barry, and reported by the Daily Livestock Report, is for placements to be up 12.2%.

There are a number of factors likely driving such diverse views.

Apparent improvement in feedlot margins, reports of poor wheat pasture conditions, delayed calf marketing—due to low prices and market uncertainty and made possible by positive forage conditions—support the notion of higher placements. 

Conversely, lower placements could be driven, in part, by the current value of gain for growing cattle outside the feedyard, reduced imports of feeder cattle, as well as growing chatter that there may be fewer cattle than previously thought. 

Both of the aforementioned groups estimate October marketings to be slightly less than the previous year.

Allendale estimates total cattle on feed Nov. 1, for feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity to be 11.484 million head, which would be 1.8% less than the previous year. However, given the significantly higher placements anticipated by those in the Urner Barry survey, they estimate a year-over-year on-feed increase of 1.3%.

Cattle futures closed narrowly mixed Tuesday with most of the pressure coming toward the front of the board, but remaining channel bound.

After 7¢ higher in spot Dec and then 5¢ to 22¢ lower in the next three contracts, Live Cattle futures closed an average of 44¢ higher. 

Other than an average of 26¢ lower in three of the front contracts, Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 33¢ higher.

Wholesale beef values were steady on moderate demand and offerings, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 11¢ lower Tuesday afternoon at $239.01/cwt. Select was 12¢ lower at $215.47.

Combined, 78.19% of carcasses graded Prime and Choice the week ending Nov. 8, according to the USDA National Steer and Heifer Estimated Grading Percent report. That was the highest level since last May. At 9.89%, Prime was the highest since last March.

Corn futures closed mostly 2¢ to 3¢ higher.

Soybean futures closed mostly fractionally higher to 2¢ higher.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed mixed Tuesday. Weaker same-store sales from the likes of Home Depot and Kohl’s appeared to be the primary pressure.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 102 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 1 point lower. The NASDAQ was up 20 points.

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“While beef exports (U.S.) are likely to end 2019 with an almost 2% decline, shipments are expected to rebound in 2020 by about 7%, as drought in

competitor Australia reduces its exportable supply at the same time as beef demand continues to expand in Asia,” say analysts with USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS), in the November Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook.

U.S. beef exports in September were 3% less than a year earlier, according to ERS, with most of the decline coming from shipments to Japan, Hong Kong and Mexico. But, exports were higher year over year to South Korea, Indonesia, China, Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

“Several factors, including increased demand for animal proteins in Asia, changes in trading patterns, and tighter supplies in Australia, positioned the United States to expand its shipments of beef to a number of Asian countries during September,” say ERS analysts.

Net sales of beef to international customers (25,300 mt) for the week ending Nov. 7 were up 92% from the four-week average, according to the most recent Weekly U.S. Export Sales report from USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service.

Domestically, retail beef demand in the third quarter was the highest since 2015, according to the Meat Demand Index (MDI) calculated by the Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC).

“Retail beef demand is currently in an up-cycle after 2008-2013 showed values below 100. Since 2014 the index for the third quarter has ranged from 102 to 110,” say LMIC analysts, in the latest Livestock Monitor.

Last week’s weighted average 5-area direct price for fed steers was 59¢ higher at $115.19/cwt. on a live basis and 68¢ higher in the beef at $181.72.

Cattle futures firmed to start the week, helped along by the Tyson announcement regarding the reopening of its Kansas plant (see below).

Other than 40¢ and 2¢ lower at either end of the board, Live Cattle futures closed an average of 32¢ higher. 

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 35¢ higher.

Wholesale beef values were lower on Choice and higher on Select with moderate demand and offerings, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.68 lower Monday afternoon at $239.12/cwt. Select was $1.26 higher at $215.59.

Corn futures closed mostly 2¢ to 3¢ lower.

Soybean futures closed mostly 6¢ to 8¢ lower Jul ’21 and then 4¢ lower.

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Major U.S. financial indices edged higher Monday, with little definitive impetus one way or the other.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 31 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 1 point higher. The NASDAQ was up 9 points.

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Tyson Fresh Meats—the beef and pork subsidiary of Tyson Foods, Inc.—announced Monday that efforts to resume harvest operations at its Holcombe, KS beef plant will begin the first week of December, with intentions to be fully operational by the first week of January. It plans to resume receiving cattle at the facility the first week of December.

“We recognize the disruption the fire caused for our suppliers and our customers and are more than pleased to announce we are in the final stages of reconstruction,” says Steve Stouffer, group president, Tyson Fresh Meats. “Our team is ready to begin the process of ramping back up, recognizing that there will be testing and adjustments over the first few weeks to ensure equipment functionality while maintaining our commitment to team member safety and food safety.”

The Aug. 9 fire that disrupted operations severely damaged a critical part of the plant containing the hydraulic and electrical systems that support the harvest floor and cooler areas.

Before the fire, the plant was harvesting about 6,000 head of fed cattle per day, accounting for about 6% of total U.S. fed cattle packing capacity.

Reconstruction included completely replacing support beams and the roof, hydraulic piping and pumps, installing over 50,000 feet of new wiring and the reconstruction of all new electrical panel rooms and equipment.

Since the fire, cattle have been diverted to the company’s other beef facilities, where they were able to offset some of the production volume losses, to try and help mitigate disruption to cattle producers and customers and has continued to pay active, full-time team members for 40 hours per week. Team members have been instrumental in helping with cleanup and the reconstruction process.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ended the week mainly steady to $1 higher at $115/cwt. on a live basis and at $182 in the beef, based on USDA reports.

There were 1,264 head offered in a Friday edition of the Fed Cattle Exchange auction, and no takers.

Cattle futures traded sideways and closed marginally mixed Friday.

Other than 2¢ and 5¢ higher in the front two contracts, Live Cattle futures closed an average of 17¢ lower. 

Other than 37¢ lower in spot Nov and 15¢ lower in Sep Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 16¢ higher.

Wholesale beef values were weak to lower on light demand and offerings, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 26¢ lower Friday afternoon at $240.80/cwt. Select was $1.51 lower at $214.33.

Corn futures closed mostly 3¢ to 4¢ lower.

Soybean futures closed fractionally higher to 1¢ higher.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed strongly higher Friday, buoyed by reports that the U.S. and China are getting closer to a trade deal.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 222 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 23 points higher. The NASDAQ was up 61 points.

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“As the Choice-Select price spread stays abnormally high, packers appear to be paying higher prices to bid cattle out of the feedlots, as the spread is likely incentivizing feedlots to keep cattle on feed longer,” say analysts with USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS), in the latest monthly Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook. “Packers’ willingness to pay higher prices is likely supported by the strong boxed beef market going into the holiday season.”

USDA increased the expected fed steer price (5-area direct) $2 for the fourth quarter to $112/cwt. with a forecast annual price this year of $116. Average prices through the first three quarters of next year are projected at $113 (third quarter) to $120 (first quarter).

In turn, feeder steer prices finally started to increase.

ERS analysts point out feeder steers weighing 750-800 lbs. traded $13 higher ($148.04/cwt.) at Oklahoma City the week of Nov. 4, compared to the recent low the week of Sept. 9.

“Based on recent price data, the fourth-quarter 2019 feeder steer price was raised by $3 to $144/cwt. (basis Oklahoma City),” say ERS analysts. “The first-quarter price forecast for 2020 was raised by $2 to $138. The annual price forecast for feeder steers is raised by $1 to $142.

Projected feeder steer prices are expected to increase in 2020, especially in the latter half, compared to 2019. Year over year, the forecast first-quarter average price next year is $2.76 lower at $138/cwt., about even in the second at $130, but $6.81 higher in the third quarter at $147.90. The projected annual average price is $1.50 higher at $143.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade on Thursday continued steady with last week in Nebraska and the western Corn Belt at mostly $115/cwt. on a live basis. Dressed sales were steady to $1 higher at $182.

Cattle futures strengthened on Thursday, regaining some of the losses from the previous session, with continued overall strength in beef demand.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 59¢ higher (32¢ higher to 97¢ higher in spot Dec).

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 84¢ higher, (42¢ to $1.22 higher).

Wholesale beef values were lower on light to moderate demand and moderate to heavy offerings, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.28 lower Thursday afternoon at $241.06/cwt. Select was $1.69 lower at $215.84.

Steer carcasses weighed an average of 903 lbs. for week ending Nov. 2, which was 3 lbs. lighter than the previous week, but 4 lbs. heavier than the same time a year earlier, according to the most recent USDA Actual Slaughter Under Federal Inspection report. Fed heifer carcasses weighed an average of at 835 lbs., on par with the previous week and year.

Corn futures closed mostly 1¢ higher.

Soybean futures closed mostly unchanged to 3¢ lower, but 1¢ higher in a couple of the front months.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed little changed Thursday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 1 point lower. The S&P 500 closed 2 points higher. The NASDAQ was down 3 points.

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So far, rather than swap alternative proteins for real meat, it appears consumers in the western world are adding alternatives to what they already eat, according to the annual global animal protein outlook from RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness (RRFA).

“Contrary to expectations, the growing interest in alternative proteins has added to total protein consumption; the substitution effect is not yet clear in the consumption data,” according to RRFA analysts. “At the same time, animal

protein consumption has been stable, or up slightly, in the E.U. and U.S. in recent years. This is despite double-digit growth in alternatives’ sales: 16% year-over-year growth for 2018 in the U.S. and a compound annual growth rate of 16% in the Netherlands since 2016.”

Rabobank expects alternative protein consumption to grow next year, along with meat and seafood consumption.

“We also expect more clarity as to whether alternatives are an addition to or a substitute for meat and seafood. Alternatives will need to improve their nutritional profile and eating quality, and address regulatory barriers such as terminology, in order to maintain current growth rates,” according to RRFA analysts.