North American Livestock The semi-annual estimate of combined U.S. and Canadian swine and cattle herds was released yesterday. As of 1 January, all cattle and calves in the U.S. and Canada totaled 106 million or 101 percent of year-ago levels. As of December 2017, the inventory of all hogs and pigs in the two countries totaled 87.6 million head, which was 102 percent of the previous year and 106 percent of 2015. The North American swine herd has grown a cumulative 12 percent over the past five years versus 4 percent for the cattle herd. Swine efficiency was a major factor last year. The semi-annual pig crop of 80.8 million head was 102 percent of the same period a year prior and 105 percent of the second half of 2015. Semi-annual farrowin...
What You Need to Know Today: The corn and soybean markets closed slightly higher in low-volume trade. The wheat market was mixed, with HRW continuing its downward trek on improved moisture. As expected, the bearish cattle on feed report drove down cattle prices and pulled hogs down with it. Mi...
Monday, 25 May is a U.S. holiday, and both the markets and our office will be closed. Please note that the next issue of Ag Perspectives will be published on Tuesday, 26 May. The WPI staff wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend...
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report was released today. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity amounted to 11.6 million head, 102 percent of last year. Source: USDA, WPI Placements were up, but part of that is attributable to persistent drought c...
Illuminating the value of technical research
On behalf of a commodity producer organization, WPI evaluated the outputs from a project that featured a $5 million investment into technical research over multiple years. WPI’s team captured the results of this extensive effort and synthesized them for presentation to the organization’s governing board; among the findings uncovered and presented for the first time was the development of genomic traits proven, via rigorous testing, to provide crop yield advantages of 50 percent or more to U.S. farmers in times of drought. Capturing measurable results from long-term efforts can be challenging. Educating clients on the dynamics of success measurement when quantifiable results are not readily available requires deep client-consultant collaboration and an ability to consider both near- and long-term client aspirations with market/policy dynamics – attributes that WPI brings to every consulting engagement.