Tomorrow USDA will release the monthly Cattle on Feed report. Analysts’ pre-report estimates peg the total number of cattle on feed as of 1 October at 99 percent of a year ago. The range of estimates was between 98 and 100 percent. The implied inventory of cattle on feed would be 11.6 million head.
Placements in September are forecast at 101 percent of last year. The range of estimates was wide, from 98 percent to 104 percent and showed differing opinions – i.e., both an increase and a decrease over October 2020. If placements are up, that would be the second consecutive month of increased placements year over year, even after the July cattle inventory report (which we covered here) showed the total number of calv...
Beef packer margins deteriorated to -$261/head last week, down $19 from the prior week as weaker beef values (especially the Choice cutout) were offset by firmer fed cattle prices, which further compressed packer profits. The cutout slipped to $387/cwt while fed cattle prices held above $259/cw...
What You Need to Know Today: The U.S. and Iran reportedly agreed to pause hostilities to allow vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz this week (theoretically, at least). There were some rumors of a possible Chinese blockade against Taiwan. Analysts are looking for the largest U.S. 1 June cor...
Proposition 12: The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) has advocated for a fix to Proposition 12, the California animal welfare law, in the Senate farm bill. The House version of the farm bill included a fix, but the Senate bill, based on the discussion draft released by Chairman John Boozm...
