Market Reports

Current and expected fed cattle prices have declined by approximately $10 per hundredweight (cwt) over the past five weeks. This decline has eroded the projected profitability for feedlots through the rest of 2017.

Commercial beef production for 2017 is revised upward slightly to 26.5 billion pounds due to greater-than-expected commercial slaughter in the second quarter and higher anticipated commercial slaughter in the third and fourth quarters.

This video, courtesy of Certified Angus Beef, Galen Erickson, University of Nebraska animal scientist, offers insight into the trendiness of cattle feeding that deserves attention from the industry.

Commercial beef production for April 2017 was fractionally below a year ago. However, with one less slaughter day in the month, meatpackers slaughtered 2 percent, or 54,000 head, more cattle than last year.

The most discussed trends in U.S. agriculture have likely been the declining number of U.S. farmers and ranchers. This trend – combined with ever-growing global demand – has set the wheels into motion for U.S. farming and ranching operations to become larger over time.

Negotiations with China regarding the details of an agreement to ship U.S. beef to China have been ongoing for the last few months, and were finalized June 12. It didn't take long for the Greater Omaha Packing Company to take advantage.