Cash cattle markets never stop completely, but plenty of folks continued to take cover Tuesday as Cattle futures sank further—limit and near-limit down in some contracts, with expanded limits—in response to fed cattle harvest disruptions caused by the fire at Tyson’s plant in Holcombe, KS.
As reported in Cattle Current yesterday, estimates suggest lost fed harvest capacity amounts to approximately 30,000 to 35,000 head per week. With industry-wide beef packing capacity utilization already running historically high before the fire, by most accounts, both cattle feeders and packers are scrambling to find solutions.
Live Cattle futures closed an average of $4.34 lower.
Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $5.60 lower.
Wholesale beef values continued to climb Tuesday, with the shortage in immediate supplies fostered by the Tyson fire. Prices were sharply higher on good demand and moderate to heavy offerings, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.
Choice boxed beef cutout value was $7.74 higher Tuesday afternoon at $226.36/cwt. Select was $2.79 higher at $200.58.
USDA acreage numbers continued to weigh on corn Tuesday. Corn futures closed 8¢ to 19¢ lower through Jul ’20, then mostly fractionally mixed.
Soybean futures gained, though, after ignoring the previous day’s positive acreage news. Soybean futures closed 8¢ to 10¢ higher through Jul ‘20, and then mostly 4¢ to 5¢ higher.
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