Sort & Cull

The cattle complex is rallying while the market sees the cyclical shift in supply with the U.S possessing fewer cattle than in recent years. So long as moisture continues to accumulate and demand remains unwavering, higher prices should continue to propel the live cattle and...

Regardless whether you're someone who looks to utilize placing a hedge on the futures market or managing your risk via a policy with a livestock risk protection (LRP) plan, it's important to know what these contracts are doing and what the market is telling us...

The primary reasons packers leaped into last week's cash cattle market as aggressively as they did are: 1) They want to pump the brakes on the vigorous momentum that's been driving cash cattle market prices higher over the last month; and 2) they want to build inventory so...

Over the last two months, we've slowly seen feedlots take on more of the marketing direction of the cash cattle market and slowly push trade out until Thursday or Friday of each week. This "market signal" tells packers feedlots aren't in a rush to trade cattle as they have a...

With beef cow processing as rapid as it was through 2022, I don't think it's out of line to anticipate that the January 2023 beef cow herd could be below 29 million head, which happened in 2014 and is the record low for the industry.

As of Jan. 1, 2023, there were 4.65 million head of heifers and heifer calves in feedlots across the U.S., which is 25,000 head fewer than a year ago.

In years past, one has been able to look at the spread in the April live cattle contract compared to the price of the June live cattle contract and see that it correlates to the price difference between feeder steers and heifers. Will that trend hold true in this year's...

USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) earlier this month mailed the 2022 Census of Agriculture paper questionnaires to producers around the country. They also have sent out codes for producers to fill out the information online as well. The deadline to respond...

If processing speeds mimic the pace kept in 2015 where close to 542,000 head were processed each week, one must wonder if that will be a vigorous enough processing rate to keep the market current.

Monday morning I was on a phone call and the question was asked, "with windchills expected to be around 55 degrees below zero in parts of cow country this week, how do cattlemen ensure a profit in those type of treacherous conditions?" And truth be told, on weeks like that...

The biggest question I have after analyzing Friday's WASDE report is whether or not the projections for the cash cattle sector will remain true. The long-term resistance at $160 is an immense barrier to break through, and the market has been unable to power above it.

We know that prices are expected to be higher for both feeder cattle and fat cattle in 2023, as the industry simply doesn't have as many cattle as in years past. But with the onset of higher inputs, and higher interest rates, will the higher profits be enough to ensure a...

We knew that last week's negotiated cash cattle market was a good one when prices jumped higher, but on Monday we could see how the market got even sweeter.

On Friday, the tide finally turned as total cattle on feed numbers were lighter than a year ago, and during the year's biggest placement month there were 6% fewer feeders placed in October 2022 than a year ago, which is consequently also the smallest number placed during the...

It may be infuriating to see cash cattle prices chop sideways when it's possible the market could have traded higher, but if feedlots could simply trade cattle for the nearby delivery, as opposed to committing them to the deferred delivery, that would help the market...

Last week's cash cattle market may have traded mixed, but it completely missed the mark and ultimately let precious market-share pass it by.

Some buyers showed the feeder cattle market more interest than others last week, but with feed prices continuing to be volatile and expensive, finding a breakeven equation is tough, let alone a profit for feedlots.

Bleach-marking cows is an easy and convenient way for ranchers to mark which cows need to go to town; but when it's also used as a tool against them when it's time to sell, producers may need to rethink how they mark their cull cows.

The battle between what's developing and transpiring within the cattle market -- and what's developing and transpiring throughout our economy -- will rage on for some time. Nevertheless, the market will continue to be a balancing act, weighing two components -- the cattle...

Unfortunately, I have some experience with needlestick injuries. Anyone who has worked with livestock probably has a similar story.