ShayLe Stewart

With herd rebuilding looming, traders have recognized fed cattle supplies are only going to grow thinner in 2026.

It's likely the futures market could struggle again this week because of the seasonal downturn in both boxed beef and fed cash cattle prices.

At Monday's start, traders seem uncertain which way they should send the livestock contract prices.

From Friday's bullish Cattle on Feed report, to the expected announcement that's going to come soon from USDA about revitalizing the American beef industry, traders saw an opportunity to push the cattle contracts sharply higher...

Friday's Sept. 1 USDA Cattle on Feed report could bring some surprises again, as placement numbers remain in question.

With the market's fundamentals not expected to lend much support in upcoming weeks, as seasonally this is a time in which fed prices typically regress and boxed beef prices do too, it's easy to see why the futures complex could...

Between larger daily trading limits, the increased interest of money-managed funds, and logarithmic trading that has entered the market, managing risk has become a side component of simply doing business in the cattle market.

Packers were able to buy a sizeable volume last week in the fed cash cattle market, which likely means that they'll aim to work prices even lower in the weeks ahead.

The market may be trading above anyone's wildest dreams, and while hurdles obviously still loom, there are still reasons to believe even higher prices could be seen.

Between seeing massive gains last week in the cattle complex, to hearing the unsettling news that a positive case of New World screwworm had been detected in a human here in the United States, it wouldn't be unusual to see...

Friday's USDA Aug. 1 Cattle on Feed report could be seen by the market as either neutral or bullish depending on which end of the pre-report estimates range July placements fall.

It's almost presumed that with high prices should come ease and comfort. But that's far from what the cattle complex has seen lately, as nervousness has crept into the futures complex and there's an added level of volatility...

The market may have unexpected days when it surprises all involved; but rarely is it a good idea to abandon long-term marketing strategies because of one day's unforeseen weakness.

There's an argument to be made that the market should be able to rebound from last Friday's meltdown. On the other hand, there's a strong argument to be made that maybe the futures complex needs a break.

No one ever expects fed cattle prices to rally through July, as typically it's a time when supplies are heavy, and as boxed beef prices seasonally decline, fed cash cattle prices normally do as well. But feedlot managers have stayed...

While people wanted clear signs of herd rebuilding, that's not what the July 25 cattle reports indicated.

What cattlemen and traders alike will be quickly searching for when USDA's July 1 Cattle on Feed and Cattle inventory reports come out on Friday are clues to the status of U.S. herd build-back.

Although feedlot managers are working with lighter showlists this week, they're going to face some pushback as the board is likely to remain cautious and packers do have more cattle committed to them in the deferred delivery option.

With feeder cattle prices at an all-time high, more producers have elected to market their calves earlier this year compared to years past.

Limited supplies and strong demand have been the biggest reasons why both the live cattle and feeder cattle markets have traded higher, and why for now the market will likely remain strong.

With the cattle complex off to an aggressive start for the new week, cattlemen are crossing their fingers that prices will remain strong as some set out to market their 2025 calves.

Steers weighing between 500 and 740 pounds traded $38 to $66 per hundredweight (cwt) more recently on the Corn Belt Classic video auction, compared to prices seen in 2024.