Robin Schmahl

Negotiations resumed Wednesday after a temporary break for elections for the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. Strike threats pose a real threat for beef exports as a large portion are handled through those two facilities. An...

Carcass weight for cattle has been heavy. On Oct. 17, we set a record for the week at 994 pounds. This week, our average jumped back up to near records at 992 pounds. With the northern areas seemingly flush with available...

Monday was friendly for pork cutouts climbing $2.18 on the carcass to $72.65 and hams also jumped $3.73 higher. Futures had some small gains in the deferred months but after the pressure the...

Friday was not friendly toward cattle markets with some major selling to close out the month of October. Monday is a new day and a new month, and we'll see if there is any follow-through selling to kick off November.

USDA announces Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Section 32 purchases to buy $472.5 million worth of food from American-grown and American-raised producers, and $41 million of pork was included in the announcement.

Packers continue to find cattle to buy and successfully pushed cash trade lower Wednesday. Considering that they didn't buy much last week, traders are surprised at the weaker prices negotiated.

On Monday, Oct. 26, the Columbus, New Mexico, port opened to begin allowing Mexican feeder cattle to cross the border. On day 1, 620 head crossed, which is nearly half of the volume usually seen on a typical day before New World...

Feeder cattle were supported Monday from low placements, especially in the deferred contracts, indicating that long-term support is to be expected. Beef cutouts jumped higher Monday.

The Cattle on Feed report brought the lowest placements and marketings for the month of September in 30 years, since the series began in 1996. Total beef and pork inventories are lower than September's Cold Storage report.

Beef and pork production are down on lower slaughter numbers in September 2026 than in September 2025. Market will be trading last-minute bias ahead of Friday's Cattle on Feed report.

Wednesday was a strong day for the cattle markets, with feeder cattle $1.925 to $3.20 higher and live cattle up 72.5 to 97.5 cents. On the other hand, the weakness in lean hogs continued as markets traded $1.15 to $1.425 lower.

Tuesday night, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced an update to the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Livestock Mandatory Reporting for cash cattle. The goal is to bring more transparency and accuracy to...

Much like last week, packers are expected to stay quiet throughout the week. There was little cash trade until Friday, Oct. 16, and a lot of inventory was purchased in that short amount of time. With the Cattle on Feed report...

Less production and lower hog prices are expected by USDA in the second half of 2026, while feedlot placements remain at historic lows, according to USDA's Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook.

While we are still a week away, market chatter Thursday accounted for the rally in cattle due to expectations of sharply lower placements and lower on feed numbers on next week's Cattle on Feed report. Friday, we will see the...

Cattle markets continue their choppy trade while the cash market is at a standstill. Hogs continue to face pressure as we head into the end of the week.

The cash market is at a standstill, especially in the North this week, as many feedlots are sitting full of cattle ready to ship any day, yet bids are difficult to get. Cash prices seem to be strong in the South, yet the North...

Beef cutout values and the Feeder Cattle Index saw gains, while live cattle futures were mixed, and hog futures bounced Monday as higher pork cutout prices offered hope for market...

Friday's World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report has the U.S. meat supply projecting higher carryout for pork and 2027 beef.

The market awaits Friday's World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report as beef imports continue to climb, cash trade picks up demand and lean hog futures struggle with lower cutout values and the need for...

The October fed cattle contract remains above the nine-day and 20-day moving averages, while lean hog futures had a setback and pork cutouts were also lower despite strong slaughter numbers.

Massive money flow into commodities drives cattle prices higher.

Hogs found some strength to kick off the week while the cattle complex is under pressure with lack of new news.

The weakness in cattle was more the result of positioning ahead of the weekend rather than any negative event in the market. Hog futures bounced likely for the same reason, but only because traders continue to scalp the...

Live cattle futures were able to close higher after spending some time in negative territory. The hope for higher cash supported the market. Hog futures diverged, with contracts through the first half of the year lower while...

Live cattle futures were supported, keeping futures sideways. Feeder cattle futures maintained an upward trend. Hog futures showed minor losses as support is trying to be maintained.

Live cattle showed volatility with the market, spending time both higher and lower by the same amount. The result showed futures changed little. Hogs were likely the recipient of short-covering...

Livestock traders could not find any reason to buy into the market aggressively. Higher boxed beef prices were not enough to support cattle. Hog futures closed at new contract lows as weakness permeates the market.

The cattle complex held up well into the weekend. Limited cash cattle trade was seen ahead of the close of the markets. However, some cash weakness was seen later. Hogs futures could not catch a break with three days of weakness.

Cattle futures were under pressure for no specific reason other than the recent weakness of boxed beef prices and reduced export sales. Hog futures declined ahead of the Quarterly Hogs...

Live cattle futures regained what they lost on Tuesday as the market remains choppy. Rumors of a ban on beef exports have been unsubstantiated but provide uncertainty. Hog futures closed higher only in the October contract...

Cattle futures could not follow through on Tuesday despite strong boxed beef prices. The chart gaps may be closed quickly. Hogs futures posted triple-digit gains in the nearby contracts, leaving chart gaps on the open.

Cattle futures gapped higher as traders reacted to the Cattle on Feed report and the discount futures are carrying to cash. Hogs found buying interest likely from spillover from cattle, strong grain prices, and because they are...

Cattle futures were mixed as traders positioned themselves ahead of the Cattle on Feed report. The report showed lower marketing and placements. Hogs remained unable to find a bottom as new contract lows unfolded again.

Cattle futures were under substantial pressure on Thursday as traders would rather liquidate positions ahead of the Cattle on Feed report than take a chance on it. Frankly, hog futures held well despite cash and cutout weakness.

Cattle futures were unable to uncover aggressive buyer interest. Traders seem to be wavering on their expectations of higher cash. Hogs took a breather, but seem to have little to provide solid support, as cash and cutouts...

Livestock futures showed red across the complex as trader support was elusive. Cattle futures may have been the recipient of quick profit-taking after the recent strength. Hogs continued their freefall with new contract lows...

Cattle and hog futures moved in opposite directions with differing fundamentals. Cash cattle wer higher last week, with at least steady prices expected this week, while cash hogs remained under pressure.

Cattle futures were supported into the weekend by higher cash trade. Packers stepped up aggressively, raising bids to purchase cattle. Packer margins improved. Hogs posted triple-digit losses, falling below support as cash and...

Cattle futures closed higher, keeping the recent uptrend alive. There was little reason for traders to sell aggressively after the recent bearish news has been digested. Hogs posted minor losses with a relatively limited trading...

Live cattle and feeder cattle diverged without any specific reason for the weakness in live cattle versus the strength in feeder cattle. Hog futures closed lower, but December and later contracts closed near the highs of the day.

It was a strong beginning to a holiday-shortened week with traders aggressively buying futures in the livestock complex. It seems that the oversold aspect of the markets and some positive technical indicators caught the attention...

Most livestock contracts closed lower on Friday as traders may have positioned themselves ahead of a longer weekend. It seems that you can never tell what news will develop from one day to the next, much less over an extended...

Pork cutout prices were lower Thursday, but the biggest shock of all was a $32.13 drop in the value of pork bellies.

The whole cattle complex is under pressure from a mountain of news and imports.

This week's cattle markets have been quiet compared to the volatility brought on by the news headlines last week. In the meantime, hogs tested resistance after some small wins to close out August.

Hogs found little strength in futures Monday on top of stronger pork cutout values.

The cattle news cycle brought a lot of fireworks last week, and much of the same is expected this week. Uncertainty remains in all protein contracts as the market weighs additional shipments of ground beef at discounted prices.

Traders supported cattle futures despite a lower cash trade likely developing for the week and the return of lower boxed prices. Hog futures showed slight gains in all but the October contract as the market struggles to find...

Cattle futures made a valiant attempt to regain some losses, but the strength earlier in the day could not hold into the close. The October live cattle and the nearby feeder cattle contracts closed slightly lower. Hog futures...

Cattle futures have not been able to shrug off the recent negativity in the market. Light cash trade shows weaker cash developing. Hog futures were unable to find support and set new contract lows as pork products show...

Cattle futures could not hold up under the news of more beef being allowed into the U.S. quota- and tariff-free for 90 days to increase the ground beef supply and the reopening of the border for cattle from Mexico. Hog...

Most cattle contracts closed higher as traders balanced positions ahead of the report, the border reopening for cattle from Mexico and more beef to be imported into the U.S. Hog futures closed higher as short positions were...

Cattle futures tried to make a run higher again but could not hold the entire gains. Futures closed over $1.00 off their highs. Traders will turn their attention to the Cattle on Feed report Friday. Hog futures continued to...

Cattle futures tried to establish support early on Wednesday, but buyers were unable to hold onto the gains. Light cash activity took place at lower prices. Hog futures had a limited price swing but closed in positive territory.

Traders were cautious over the impact of slaughter resuming at the Fort Morgan plant and its impact on the market. Exceptionally strong boxed beef had minimal impact. Hog futures took it on the chin with new contract lows. The...

Block cheese and butter declined while nonfat dry milk increased. Good volume traded again in the spot butter market. Traders focused on the strength in nonfat dry milk rather than the weakness of butter.

Cattle futures began the day with strength, but after a short period of time, prices eroded, resulting in a mixed close. Hog futures could not find sufficient interest to move the needle much by the close. Cash and cutouts...

The close on Friday ended a tough week for cattle futures. The bombardment of expected negative news and lower cash trade pressured futures. Hog futures closed in negative territory with contracts closing below support.

The expectation of lower cash prices and Tyson's announcement of plant closures rattled the confidence of bullish cattle traders Thursday. Hog futures declined due to continued weakness of cutouts and the need to close the...

Cattle futures began the day where they had left off, but then came under pressure during the first 15 minutes of trading. A beef recall and a packing plant cutting production triggered the selling.

Cattle futures moved higher early, but then eroded slowly throughout the day. The market has been unable to find solid footing. Hog futures took away much of the gain seen on Monday. The market remains sideways.