cattle prices

USDA’s January 1 cattle inventory report places the total number of cattle and calves at 89.3 million head, consistent with trade expectations for a 3% year-over-year drop.  The decline comes as cattle producers face a fourth consecutive year of contraction within the cattle cycle.  That’s a...

The CattleFax Outlook Seminar at the annual Cattle Industry Convention in New Orleans dug into expert market and weather analysis for the coming year.  Prices and profitability will again favor cattle producers in 2023.  The cattle industry came into the year with the smallest cattle supply since 2015, as drought caused the industry to dig deeper into the supply of feeder cattle and calves.   ...

When it comes to the year ahead, Cameron Mulrony, Executive Vice President of Idaho Cattle said he’s looking forward to moving past 2022, which he called volatile.   “You know we had our high points and our low points.  We saw liquida...

Recent reports from the USDA reveal current trends in the cattle markets.  American Farm Bureau Federation Economist Bernt Nelson, called the recent report bullish, with total cattle on feed coming in right around 11.4 million, down 1% year-over-year.  He note...

When looking at NASS' most recent cattle inventory report, "The numbers are dropping," noted USDA Livestock Analyst Shayle Shagam.  "Both lower cow numbers and lower replacement numbers." And, he added, higher numbers of females being put into feed lots.  Sh...

On Wednesday, the Senate Ag Committee passed the Cattle Price Discovery Act, which prepares the legislation for a full Senate vote.  Todd Nash, President of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association said they recognize there is a problem in the industry, but he’s not sure if this legislation is the right fix.  He agreed that...

USDA is reporting that the nation's cattle feed lots on May 1st were feeding 12 million head. "Which was the highest May 1st number since the series began in 1996." And 2% above May 1st a year ago. USDA livestock analyst Shayle Shagam said that's partly of the result of large numbers of placements of cattle into feed lots during March, and now during April, placements were 1 ... Read Mo

"Without the transparency of a robust cash market, I'm at a severe disadvantage when marketing my cattle," said cattle producer Shelly Ziesch. "We've got to do something because if we continue to do nothing we'll keep getting the same result," noted cattle producer Richy Ruffin ...

A record for March placement of cattle and calves in feedlots in the history of USDA's Catalog Feed Report Series. Over 12 million head as of April 1st, that was up two percent year over year. Even with draught a major factor in this increased inventory, USDA Livestock Analyst Shayle Shagam said findings such as this, as well as increased heifer and heifer calf placements from the previous year,

A study from USDA's Agricultural Research Service finds on rangelands of the Western U.S., calving in late winter instead of spring maximizes calf growth. The study finds that late winter calving instead of spring supplies high-quality forage when it's most needed ...