03/16/2010 10:37AM
Cash cattle were steady-to-firm, up $1-$3 in the Plains. USDA put the
5-area average at $93.35/cwt; up $2.40/cwt from last Monday. Packers
continued bidding up prices as feedlots remained mud pits stressing
cattle while keeping them from making decent daily gains.
03/12/2010 02:17PM
The higher hog and pork prices in early 2010 had caused us to speculate
that U.S. pork exports were increasing. But, pork exports in January
were actually 13.5% lower than in December and 2.5% lower than in
January 2009.
03/12/2010 02:14PM
International beef trade started 2010 on a mixed note – net beef trade
was better than a year earlier but not as good as in December.
03/09/2010 01:24PM
Light cattle weights, stronger cash cattle, hedge lifting, and fund
buying were supportive. Cash cattle bought last week had cattle owners
buying back short hedges. Fund rolling and spreading then developed.
This was price supportive.
03/05/2010 02:33PM
This was another good week for hog prices. Barrow and gilt prices ended
the week $1-3 higher than where they started. This week’s prices are
the highest since September 2008 and are at or above breakeven for the
average producer.