The Cattle Markets

The fed cattle market was steady to a little higher this past week. Trade took place mid week with decent volume. Prices were mostly $97 on a live weight basis and were $152-154 on a dressed basis.

Choice boxed beef prices were down more than $2 this week. The Choice-Select spread decreased slightly and remains at the typical level.

Feeder cattle prices were steady to lower this past week compared to last week’s prices. Montana prices were steady for 750 and for 550 pound steers. Nebraska prices were $1 lower for 750 and $4 lower for 550 pound steers. Oklahoma prices were $1.50 lower for 750 and $2.50 lower for 550 pound steers compared to last week.

Corn prices were a $.21 higher per bushel than last week. Dried Distillers Grain prices were $7 per ton higher and wet distillers grains were priced a little higher in Nebraska for the week.

Source:
Livestock Marketing Information Center

Low Milk Prices Push Dairy Farm Consolidation

A long period of low milk prices will likely accelerate dairy-farm consolidation in Pennsylvania, according to an industry expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. Chad Dechow, associate professor of dairy cattle genetics, sees the United States dairy industry migrating more toward the hog industry model. A sizable contingent of small farms that can produce milk cheaply, rely on nonfarm income sources, or incorporate a niche market will remain. The majority of milk, however, will be produced by a limited number of very large operations with several thousand or more cows spread across "satellite dairies." "We are likely to see fewer single-site, large-family dairies," he said. "Much of this consolidation in Pennsylvania will come from large family dairy farms that continue to grow and some operators may come from Western dairies that purchase satellite dairies farther east." "Unfortunately, some 1,000-cow operations that would have ...

October Pork Exports Set New Monthly Record

U.S. pork exports set new monthly records in October, according to statistics released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), reaching 218,132 metric tons valued at $607 million. Export volume was 9 percent above last year and broke the previous monthly record of 217,080 mt set in November 2011. Export value exceeded $600 million for the first time, breaking the previous high ($597.85 million, also from November 2011) by 1.5 percent. For January through October, U.S. pork exports were 3 percent ahead of last year’s record pace in volume (1.875 million mt) and 6 percent higher in value ($5.24 billion). Beef exports also posted solid results in October, with export value ($496 million) increasing 10 percent over last year despite a 4 percent decline in volume (101,447 mt). This was consistent with this year’s January-October pattern, which has seen an 11 percent decline in volume (951,886 mt) compared to 2011 while export value ($4.6 billion) remained 2 per...

Cattle Market Falls Back

After a couple weeks of higher holiday trade, fed cattle prices settled back last week. The 5-Area slaughter steer price averaged $105.46/cwt on a live weight basis, $0.82/cwt lower than the previous week. Dressed prices were down about $1/cwt as well. Choice boxed beef gained nearly $4/cwt last week to average $165.81/cwt. Feeder cattle volume picked up significantly in the first full week of the year. While price comparisons to the previous week weren’t available in several markets, generally higher prices were noted. The price for yearlings in Nebraska averaged almost $3/cwt higher, while 500-600 lb calves were more than $10/cwt higher. Through Thursday of last week, corn prices were $0.14/bu lower, basis Omaha, NE. Prices for DDGS and WDGS were up another $2-4/ton last week in Nebraska. Source: Darrell R. Mark, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Farm Supply Beef Animal Husbandry Books Farm Magazines Beef Cattle: Keeping a Small-Scale Herd fo...

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