Sort & Cull

As packers reduce processing speeds, feedlots immediately begin to wonder how beef demand will be affected and if showlists will lose their current status?

Trade will likely be delayed until late in the week again this week, and it's anyone's guess on how prices will fare. Given that packers were able to get cattle bought for the deferred delivery option both last week and the week before, steady prices could be the tone of this...

To ensure they have enough product to market, packers will need to stay engaged in the cash market, even if that means prices creep higher.

Long term, corn prices will be something the feeder cattle complex watches closely, as penciling a high purchase price alongside a high cost of gain is challenging.

With USDA set to release Cattle Inventory and Cattle on Feed reports Friday, the day will be busy, and next week's market could be in for some additional support if the reports print as expected.

If you have a relatively young cow herd, or if you can wait to buy females when bred cow prices get soft again, it seems nearly unfathomable to me to miss the opportunity to make hay while the sun is shining and forgo these strong feeder cattle prices.

Typically, we expect a glut of cattle to hit showlists during this time of year and, consequently, expect cash cattle prices to trail lower through the hot summer months. However, with feedlots extremely current and their showlists still somewhat green, they possess the ability...