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Tag Archives beef production

feedlot strathmore alberta
Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Columns, Markets

Feeder cattle prices should remain at historical highs in 2025

The Markets: Heifer retention is expected this year in both Canada and the U.S.

By
At the time of writing this article in the latter half of December, U.S. and Canadian feeder cattle prices were trading at or near historical highs. I’ve received many inquiries from cattle producers regarding the price outlook for feeder cattle in 2025. The benchmark for the western Canadian feeder market is central Alberta. During December […] Read more
The beef cattle industry is bracing for a level of heifer retention this summer and fall that's expected to lower the feeder cattle supply.
Cattleman’s Corner, Markets

Lower feedlot placements support cattle market

Cow-calf producers should think about selling calves in late summer versus fall

By
During the last week of April, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a live basis in the range of $256-$258 per hundredweight delivered, up $18/cwt from three weeks earlier. Alberta fed cattle basis levels have strengthened as market-ready supplies tighten. In Kansas and Texas, live sales, f.o.b. feedlot, were reported at US$182/cwt, down US$3/cwt […] Read more
A year-over-year decrease in Q1 feeder cattle placements in both Canada and the U.S. is expected to lead to tighter market-ready supplies during the summer.
Cattleman’s Corner, Columns, Markets

Expect stronger cattle markets for third quarter

A surprise reduction in beef production could mean higher prices

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During the second week of March, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis in the range of $378-$380 per hundredweight (cwt) delivered. Prices f.o.b. (free on board) the feedlot in southern Alberta were quoted from $225 to $226/cwt. The market has been consolidating over the past month, as market-ready fed cattle supplies […] Read more
Kit Pharo says ranchers can increase their production per acre and their profitability.
Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner

A key to cattle business survival

Produce more pounds of beef per acre versus more pounds per cow, this U.S. rancher says

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North America producers are receiving higher prices for cattle than ever before — “yet very few are really profitable,” Kit Pharo says. Most cow-calf producers “are too dependent on outside inputs, which are also at record-high costs,” says Pharo, who operates Pharo Cattle Company in Colorado and was the keynote speaker at the recent Holistic […] Read more
Cattle producers need to be aware, as we head toward 2025, that a small change in supply has a large influence on price.
Cattleman’s Corner, Columns, Markets

Cattle herd declines while economy expands

One per cent increase in consumer spending means one per cent increase in beef demand

By
I often place myself two years in the future, with a view of the past two years. The old saying is that hindsight is 20/20. Well then, place yourself in the future and look backward. If I were giving a cattle market outlook in March 2026, the summary would be the following: During 2024, feeder […] Read more
The U.S. calf crop for 2023 came in at 33.593 million head, down 846,500 from the 2022 calf crop of 34.44 million.
Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Columns, Markets

Lower U.S. calf crop supports cattle complex

Conditions are developing that should support record calf prices next fall

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The Alberta fed cattle market remains under pressure due to a buildup of market-ready cattle, larger carcass weights and seasonally low demand. During the last week of January, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis in the range of $360-$365 per hundredweight delivered. Live bids f.o.b. feedlot in southern Alberta were quoted […] Read more
It makes sense to place positivity and profit above production values on ranches.
Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner

Rethinking ranch priorities

Positivity and profit can be more important priorities than production

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The beginning of a New Year marks a good time to work on planning for the year ahead. I believe we should be planning for “Profitivity” on our farms and ranches. Profitivity is a combination of profitability, productivity and positivity. For an operation to thrive, these three things are important to get right. Profit and […] Read more

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