USDA will release its Cattle on Feed report tomorrow; analysts’ pre-report estimates peg the total number of cattle on feed as of 1 February at 96 percent of February 2022. Last February was the record for February feed yard inventory. This would be the fourth consecutive month where on-feed inventories are lower than year ago levels.
Placements were forecast to be 97 percent of last year and marketings at 104 percent of last year. The ranges of estimates were relatively tight with the most variance in the placement category as typical.
Yesterday, the FDA released a draft guidance on the labeling of plant-based milk alternatives. The guidance did not address meat alternative labeling, however. In 2018, the FDA reques...
What You Need to Know Today: Cattle futures crashed on social media rumors that ICE raided one or possibly three fed cattle packing plants in Kansas Monday night or Tuesday morning. Operations at one plant have been disrupted and production curtailed. Outcomes for shipping via the Strait of Ho...
Key Takeaways: The expansion of biofuel-driven soybean crushing was expected to increase soymeal supplies and pressure prices as soyoil became a larger driver of crush economics, but soymeal has instead retained considerable value. Strong domestic and global feed demand has helped absorb addit...
Beef packer margins improved to $176/head last week, up $19 from the prior week as the Choice cutout edged higher while fed cattle prices eased. The cutout rose to $376/cwt while fed cattle slipped to $222/cwt, modestly widening packer profits. Margins remain well above year-ago levels despite...
