With the start of the fall weaning and marketing program for most of America’s cow-calf producers, we’re starting to see the first realized profits for the sector this year. From January through September, WPI’s cow-calf profit models are built upon the assumption that most producers will market their calves in the October-December period, and we forecast prices, revenues, and margins accordingly. Now, WPI starts to estimate what the actual profitability looks like, based on actual prices for Q4 instead of forecasts. Cow-calf margins so far in October are outperforming expectations, thanks largely to stronger than predicted calf prices. Steer calf prices (600-650 lb. animals) are averaging $18/cwt more than expectations so far this fal...

TAGS – Livestock, North America