ShayLe Stewart

What Tuesday's report clarified is that, not only do we have fewer beef cows in the industry than compared to years past, but also that we have the fewest beef cows ever recorded.

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.

Friday's USDA Jan. 1 Cattle on Feed report looks like it should come as a bullish charge to the complex.

Come the first full trading week of 2023, the cattle market didn't perform like it was expected to. The live cattle futures merely chopped sideways, boxed beef prices wilted, and the cash cattle market not only traded softer, but...

Now that the calendar has flipped the final page of 2022, what should we expect of the feeder cattle market in the early days of 2023?

Friday's USDA Dec. 1 Cattle on Feed report could be the gift of support traders are looking for as they long for reassurance that the market is indeed supposed to trade higher in 2023.

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...

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...

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...

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 around Christmas and then front some...

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.