Category Archives: Livestock & Meat Markets

What’s worse than no cattle futures?

Posted on May 20, 2016 by

Live Cattle futures have become so disconnected from any semblance of reality that their usefulness to cattle producers is suspect at best and damaging at worst. Bull shit and so-what? Futures (and options) prices have never had anything to do … Continue reading →

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Cattle futures: Trading hope or thin air?

Posted on January 22, 2016 by

“There is some concern by industry professionals and analysts that the feeder cattle market trade is far removed from the fundamentals in the market,” The proper response to a statement like that is “so what?” When the producer places his … Continue reading →

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Cattle prices dredge lower

Posted on December 13, 2015 by

by Wes Ishmael via Beef That old saying about this not being the end of the world but it’s within eyeshot of your current location continues to be a hopeful notion in cattle markets when it comes to finding the … Continue reading →

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Lessons from the 2015 cattle market wreck

Posted on December 12, 2015 by

 Though there were other contributors to the late summer – early fall market slide, but all in all, the backlog of overdone cattle fueled the price slide. The animal science people will try to convince you that maximizing individual animal … Continue reading →

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2016 Outlook: Expect Lower Cattle Prices and Modest Profits

Posted on December 9, 2015 by

For what it is worth. — jtl, 419 By Greg Henderson at Beef Today Your calves will likely fetch fewer dollars next year, but most ranchers should still find 2016 a profitable year. © Wyatt Bechtel Editor’s note: This is one … Continue reading →

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Feedyard vs. cow-calf inventory returns: Who fared best in 2015?

Posted on December 1, 2015 by

A common error made by many cattle feeders is the belief that they “must” own cattle at all times. NOT. It is prudent to step aside when the numbers call for it. If you can’t place an effective hedge going … Continue reading →

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U.S. feedlot cattle placements hit nearly 20-year low

Posted on November 23, 2015 by

Report called neutral for CME live cattle futures By Theopolis Waters via Canadian Cattlemen (USDA.gov via Flickr) Chicago | Reuters — The number of cattle placed into U.S. feedlots last month declined four per cent from a year ago to … Continue reading →

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Beef carcass quality is in the eye of the buyer

Posted on November 19, 2015 by

There are buyers in the market for all types of beef carcasses, from the leanest and largest to a highly marbled product. Knowing your market (is important). I have a buddy that raises Corrente cattle and he swears that it … Continue reading →

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Forward Contracting Leads to Long-term Success

Posted on November 17, 2015 by

The forward contract is a great tool because they know exactly priced with the final price and when to deliver it. The downside of forward contracting (vs using futures and/or options) are things like drought, disease, fire, flood, pestilence, etc–i.e. … Continue reading →

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Is the cattle cycle back?

Posted on November 7, 2015 by

The biology of the cow controls the speed of the expansion phase, while the magnitude of decreasing cattle prices controls the speed of the contraction phase. And that is why market crashes are steeper than up-trends. Sometimes the downside is … Continue reading →

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