Insights and Stories on Feeder Cattle

Klassen: Feeder market holds value despite negative margins

Jan. 23, 2024 at 11:32 am CST

Calf markets appeared to trade $2 to $3 above week-ago levels on average. Feedlot margins on current pen close-outs are negative $300 to $350 per head but replacement markets haven’t missed a beat. Finishing feedlots were once again bidding aggressively on backgrounded cattle with fleshier types experiencing limited slippage. Larger pen sized groups were on the higher end of the priced spectrum with buyers avoiding smaller packages.

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hogs sag as traders track US slaughtering

Jan. 19, 2024 at 5:06 pm CST

By Reuters Tom Polansek

U.S. livestock: Follow-through buying carries CME cattle to eight-week highs

Jan. 18, 2024 at 5:33 pm CST

By Reuters Tom Polansek

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures hit November highs as traders focus on harsh US winter

Jan. 17, 2024 at 5:03 pm CST

By Reuters Tom Polansek

Klassen: Yearling return to the lineup on strong demand

Jan. 16, 2024 at 9:33 am CST

By Jerry Klassen

U.S. livestock: live cattle, lean hogs fall amid weather, demand woes

Jan. 12, 2024 at 5:28 pm CST

Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog and live cattle futures were mostly down on Friday as concerns about winter weather and sluggish export demand had some investors shedding their positions.

By P.J. Huffstutter Reuters

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures rise as icy weather threatens US herds

Jan. 11, 2024 at 5:25 pm CST

Cattle futures jumped at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange on Thursday on concerns over frigid temperatures that threaten U.S. herds, analysts said.

By Reuters Tom Polansek

U.S. livestock: Live cattle dip in nearby contract; US beef plants reopen

Jan. 10, 2024 at 5:45 pm CST

Live cattle futures eased slightly in the front-month contract on Wednesday as U.S. slaughtering began to recover from disruptions due to extreme winter weather earlier this week.

By Reuters Tom Polansek

Klassen: Cattle producers anxious about 2024

Jan. 9, 2024 at 9:32 am CST

The holiday break for the cattle market is analogous to an the intermission between periods of hockey game. Feedlot operators assess inventory and to focus on the market structure. They’re planning their purchase strategy for the next couple months.

By Jerry Klassen

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle retreat from one-month high, traders eye US weather

Jan. 8, 2024 at 6:49 pm CST

Live cattle futures on Monday rose to their highest level in more than a month before retreating as traders waited to see the impact of wintry weather on livestock in the central U.S.

By Reuters Tom Polansek