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Tag Archives cattle on feed

cattle in alberta feedlot
Cattleman’s Corner, Columns, Markets

Feeder market trades at or near historical highs

The Markets: Larger supplies by numbers and weight will mean more beef supply year over year

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During the last week of October, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis in the range of $403-$408 per hundredweight ($242-$245/cwt on a live basis). This was unchanged from a month earlier. Breakeven pen closeouts are in the range of $250-$255/cwt, so margins are in negative territory for the time being. The […] Read more
File photo of cattle on feed near Champion, Alta., about 75 km north of Lethbridge. (James_Gabbert/iStock/Getty Images)
Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Markets

Tighter fed cattle supplies support feeder market

U.S. beef producers are not yet holding back enough heifers for expansion

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During the first week of June, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a live basis at $261 per hundredweight, f.o.b, feedlot in southern Alberta, up $4/cwt from a month earlier. Market-ready supplies of fed cattle were sharply above year-ago levels earlier in winter, but the backlog has slowly been alleviated through the spring period. […] Read more
Fed cattle are still at high prices despite a recent pullback.
Cattleman’s Corner, Columns, Markets

Cattle market works to ration demand

Cattle prices are expected to reach historic highs this summer, then drop

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During the first half of April, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a live basis at $240 per hundredweight delivered, up $8/cwt from a month earlier. Market-ready fed cattle supplies in Alberta and Saskatchewan are tightening, causing the fed cattle basis to strengthen. While the Canadian domestic slaughter is running slightly below year-over-year levels, […] 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
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

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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’s important that feedlot operators and cow-calf producers are aware of the supply and demand balance for fed cattle.
Cattleman’s Corner, Markets

Lessons from last September’s cattle market drop

A small change in cattle numbers can result in a large drop in market value

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CME (Chicago Mercantile Exchange) December 2023 live cattle futures made a high of US$199.75 per hundredweight on Sept. 15. The market held at the higher levels until the end of September and then started to trend low, bottoming around $166 on Dec. 7 (all figures US$). There were a few signals stating that the market […] Read more
Absent a significant rally in Chicago June and August live cattle, the market for backgrounded cattle is not sustainable moving forward.
Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Columns, Markets

Fed cattle market softens

The longer-term outlook remains bright, despite lots of cattle on feed

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During the first week of January, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis in the range of $363-$365 per hundredweight delivered. This was down marginally from the price range of $368-$370/cwt. during the week of December. In Kansas and Texas, live prices were US$171/cwt., down US$4/cwt. from 30 days earlier. U.S. packers […] Read more
CME January 2024 feeder cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)
Livestock, Markets, Reuters

U.S. livestock: Feeder cattle top one-week high

Traders digest U.S. cattle placements data; December hogs lower

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Chicago | Reuters — U.S. feeder cattle futures and deferred live cattle futures finished higher on Monday after the government reported placements in feedlots were lower than analysts expected last month. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in monthly data issued after the close of trading on Friday, said producers placed 3.8 per cent more cattle […] Read more
CME February 2024 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)
Livestock, Markets, Reuters

U.S. livestock: CME cattle rise ahead of bullish data

December lean hogs lower

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Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle and feeder cattle futures ended higher on Friday as livestock traders adjusted positions in the markets. After the close of trading, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued monthly data that showed producers placed 3.8 per cent more cattle into feedlots in October than a year earlier, […] Read more

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