Cattle and grain markets were plumb ugly Monday.
The fire that partly destroyed the Tyson Foods beef plant in Holcomb, KS (near Garden City) on Friday took Cattle futures limit down as traders tried to assess what the lost packing capacity means to markets (see below).
Live Cattle futures closed limit down $3.00, except for $2.67 lower in the back contract.
Feeder Cattle futures closed limit down $4.50.
Negotiated cash fed cattle traded ended up $1 lower last week in the Southern Plains and Nebraska at $110/cwt. and $113, respectively. Live prices were steady to $2 lower in the western Corn Belt at $113-$115. Dressed sales were steady to $5 lower in Nebraska at $180-$185. Prices in the western Corn Belt were $4-$5 lower at $180-$181.
The same uncertainty about supply disruptions that cratered cattle futures helped boost Wholesale beef values Monday, with good demand and heavy offerings, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.
Choice boxed beef cutout value was $2.25 higher Monday afternoon at $218.62/cwt. Select was $3.98 higher at $197.79.
Grain futures collapsed on Monday beneath the weight of bearish USDA numbers (see below).
Corn futures closed mostly 25¢ lower through Jul ’20, then 7¢ to 15¢ lower through Jul ’21; mostly 3¢ lower the rest of the way.
Even though acreage numbers were positive, Soybean futures closed 10¢ to 12¢ lower through May ‘20, and then mostly 4¢ to 9¢ lower.
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