Declining feed costs and higher prices for feeder cattle and cull cows have lifted WPI’s expectations of cow/calf profitability for 2020. Compared to our forecast one month ago, the “average” producer in Kansas is expected to lose $1.94/cow unit in 2020, an $18/cow unit improvement over the June forecast. More significantly, cow/calf producers are forecast to have returns $58 larger than was forecast this time last year. The improving profitability will be a welcome development for producers in Kansas and around the U.S. (who face similar but not necessarily equal profitability forecasts) after three consecutive years of negative returns.  Since June, expected per-cow revenues have increased $7.74 thanks to firming f...

TAGS – Livestock, North America