WLI

Based on USDA reports, negotiated cash fed cattle trade through Friday afternoon was looking most steady to mixed. Live prices in the Southern Plains were steady to $1 lower at $108/cwt. Dressed trade in the North was $1-$3 higher at mostly $173 in the western Corn Belt and at $173-$175 in Nebraska.

Higher Corn futures, follow-through softness in Lean Hog futures, and likely skittishness over the plant explosion at Cargill’s packing facility in Dodge City helped push Cattle futures lower Friday, but they closed off of session lows. Various reports suggest the Cargill plant will resume normal operations Monday.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 76¢ lower (40¢ lower to $1.92 lower in spot Oct).

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.10 lower.

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

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 7¢ lower Friday afternoon at $218.04/cwt. Select was 44¢ higher at $193.04.

Corn futures closed mostly 2¢ to 3¢ lower through Jul ’20 and then mostly unchanged to fractionally lower.

Soybean futures closed 2¢ to 3¢ higher.

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

Major U.S. financial indices closed lower Friday, on mixed news that included weak economic growth in China.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 255 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 11 points lower. The NASDAQ was down 67 points.

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

If recent forecasts from USDA are any indication, international beef demand next year will continue to help underpin domestic prices. Demand strength grows in importance with expectations of record large commercial beef production in 2020, along with record large total red meat and poultry production.

“Total exports (beef) in 2020 are forecast up 6% to a record 3.3 billion lbs., accounting for 12% of U.S. production,” say Analysts with USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS), in the latest Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook. “The United States is poised to expand market share in top markets such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan as key competitor Australia struggles to maintain its market shares, given its reduced exportable supplies and its dominance in filling China demand.”

At the same time, ERS expects the U.S. to import less beef in 2020.

“U.S. imports will likely be limited by a combination of tighter supplies in Oceania and expected increased demand for beef in Asia due to African Swine Fever,” say ERS analysts.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade remained undeveloped through Thursday afternoon, based on USDA reports.

Cattle futures softened.

Other than 5¢ and 50¢ higher in the front two contracts, Live Cattle futures closed an average of 34¢ lower. That was despite reports that Cargill suspended some operations at its Dodge City facility, in the wake of an explosion in a stand alone building.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.15 lower (85¢ to $1.60 lower). Pressure likely included early spillover pressure from Live Cattle, as well as higher front-month Corn futures.

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

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 17¢ lower Thursday afternoon at $218.11/cwt. Select was $1.23 higher at $192.60.

Corn futures closed mostly 2¢ to 3¢ higher.

Soybean futures closed 1¢ to 3¢ higher through Aug ‘20 and then mostly fractionally mixed to 1¢ lower.

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

Major U.S. financial indices regained losses from the previous session Thursday, with renewed hopes over a Brexit deal and continued strong quarterly earnings reports.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 23 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 8 points higher. The NASDAQ was up 32 points.

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

“Warmer than expected weather patterns and improved supplies of forage may have extended cattle grazing periods, slowing the pace of placements in third-quarter 2019,” say analysts with USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS), in the latest monthly Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook. “However, some of these feeder cattle will likely need to be moved off grass and into the feedlots in fourth-quarter 2019, keeping feeder prices under pressure in the fourth quarter.”

ERS pegs prices for feeder steers (750-800 lbs., basis Oklahoma City) the week of Oct. 7 at $147.26/cwt., which was $12 higher than the recent trough of $134.80 the week of Sept. 9 and more than $6 higher than the week before the Tyson plant fire.

Based on recent price strength, ERS increased the average expected feeder steer price in the fourth quarter by $4 to $137. The annual price forecast for feeder steers next year was unchanged at $141.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade remained undeveloped through Wednesday afternoon, based on USDA reports. There were a few early live sales in the western Corn Belt at $111/cwt.—$1 more than the top of the range for the region last week—but too few to trend.

There were 768 head offered in the weekly Fed Cattle Exchange Auction and no takers.

Cattle futures continued to edge higher, except for a strong bounce in spot Live Cattle, supported by recent cash strength and gains in wholesale beef values.

After $1.35 higher in spot Oct, Live Cattle futures closed an average of 17¢ higher.

Except for 15¢ lower in Nov, Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 27¢ higher.

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

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 26¢ higher Wednesday afternoon at $218.28/cwt. Select was 11¢ lower at $191.37.

Corn futures closed mostly fractionally mixed

Soybean futures closed 3¢ to 6¢ lower through Sep ‘20 and then mostly 1¢ to 2¢ lower.

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

Major U.S. financial indices softened Wednesday, despite continued positive quarterly corporate earnings reports. Pressure was mostly ascribed to the month-to-month decline in retail sales. The U.S. Commerce Department estimated U.S. retail and food service sales 0.3% less in September at $525.6 billion. However, sales were 4.1% more than last year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 22 points lower. The S&P 500 closed 5 points lower. The NASDAQ was down 24 points.

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

A couple of observations shared by Derrell Peel, Extension livestock marketing specialist at Oklahoma State University, in his weekly market comments:

“Globally, the middle class is projected to expand from 2 billion to 4.9 billion people by 2030. China, alone, is projected to add 850 million new middle class consumers by 2030. It is well documented that meat consumption increases as growing incomes support better quality diets and increased protein consumption.

“It appears at this time, that swine and pork losses in China, Vietnam, North and South Korea, and the Philippines, along with other outbreaks of African Swine Fever in Europe and Africa are creating a protein deficit that cannot be currently filled by all proteins in the world.”

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was undeveloped through Tuesday afternoon, based on USDA reports. Early expectations are for steady to higher prices.

Cattle futures ended up mostly narrowly higher amid two-sided action, awaiting direction from this week’s cash market.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 31¢ higher, except for unchanged in near Dec.

Feeder Cattle futures closed mixed, unchanged to 55¢ lower in the front three contracts and then an average of 31¢ higher.

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

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 80¢ higher Tuesday afternoon at $218.02/cwt. Select was $2.15 higher at $191.48.

Corn futures closed 2¢ to 4¢ lower through May ’20 and then mostly fractionally lower.

Soybean futures closed 3¢ to 6¢ lower through Aug ‘20 and then mostly fractionally lower to 1¢ lower.

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

Major U.S. financial indices closed higher Tuesday on positive corporate earnings and optimism over a resolution to Brexit.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 237 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 29 points higher. The NASDAQ was up 100 points.

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

Pasture and range conditions continued to erode last week, compared to the same time last year, according to the most recent weekly USDA Crop Progress report for the week ending Oct. 13.

96% of the corn crop was dented, which was 4% less than last year and the average. 73% of corn was mature, compared to 96% a year earlier and 92% for the five-year average. 22% was harvested, which was 16% less than last year and 14% less than average. 55% was in Good (44%) or Excellent (11%) condition, which was 1% less than the previous week and 13% less than last year. 15% was in Poor (11%) or Very Poor condition (4%), which was the same as a week earlier and 3% more than a year earlier.

85% of soybeans were dropping leaves, which was 9% less than the previous year and 8% less than the average. 26% were harvested, which was 11% less than a year earlier and 23% less than average. 54% were rated in Good (45%) or Excellent (9%) condition, 1% more than a week earlier and 12% less than a year ago. 14% were in Poor (10%) or Very Poor (4%) condition, which was 1% less than a week earlier and 3% more than a year earlier.

81% of sorghum was mature, which was 1% more than last year but 1% less than average. 40% was harvested, which was 2% less than last year and 6% less than the average. 65% was in Good (51%) or Excellent (14%) condition, which was 10% more than a year earlier. 7% was rated as Poor (6%) or Very Poor (1%), compared to 17% last year.

65% of winter wheat was planted, which was 1% more than the previous year and on par with the average. 41% had emerged, compared to 42% last year and 40% for average.

43% of the nation’s pasture and range was rated in Good (35%) or Excellent (8%) condition, which was 2% less than a week earlier and 6% less than a year earlier. 28% was rated as Poor (18%) or Very Poor (10%), which was 1% more than the previous week and 7% more than a year earlier.