ShayLe Stewart

The drop in boxed beef prices -- or more specifically, choice boxed beef prices -- caught the industry off guard this week, even though it's practically like clockwork that beef prices bottom...

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...

There are several key factors that are important to monitor through the year's end -- fat cattle prices and volumes purchased; feeder cattle prices and corn trends; and boxed beef values, along with throughput.

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...

Friday's USDA Cattle on Feed report could have a bullish outlook, as both total on-feed numbers and placements are expected to be lower than a year ago.

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...

There are both positive and negative influences weighing on today's market, but with the added volatility of a weakened economy and high interest rates, this isn't the type of market where you can rest your hat on historical habits.

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...

At this point, I think the only thing certain about our economy is that interest rates are going up. And for an industry that's mostly become accustomed to cheap money, higher interest rates are a devil that we don't know how to...

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...

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...

If not careful, producers can go from one season to the next without reflecting upon the past year and making note of the changes that need to be implemented in the year ahead or the opportunities that cannot afford to be...

With close to a million fewer feeder cattle outside feedlots when compared to a year ago, simple supply and demand concepts would argue that feeder cattle prices should be trending higher, but with volatility laced throughout the...

The problem that the market faces now is determining what influence will the market's weakened technical state have on its overall being. Unfortunately, I'm pressed to believe that, despite the market's strong fundamental position...

With feedlots able to keep cash cattle prices steady to $1 up last week, there's a strong chance that prices trade higher again this week as packers need to procure cattle to avoid becoming short bought.

When times are tough, cattlemen have a rotten tendency to stop looking at their cattle like assets and start looking at them like liabilities.