http://www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle-news/markets/cattle/outlook RSS Feed for Cattle Outlook en-us Fri, 18 May 2012 19:49:42 GMT http://www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle-news/markets/cattle/outlook/Cattle-Outlook-Beef-cutout-value-fed-cattle-prices-improve-152076045.html Problems with sovereign debt in Europe have caused both the value of the Euro and stock markets to decline in value. http://www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle-news/markets/cattle/outlook/Cattle-Outlook-USDA-expects-beef-production-in-2012-13-to-drop-151161985.html Beef exports during March were up 7.1% from February, but down 20.7% compared to March 2011. http://www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle-news/markets/cattle/outlook/Cattle-Outlook-Cattle-prices-recover-beef-cutout-a-bit-lower-150211175.html Cattle prices have weathered the announcement of a fourth U.S. cow with BSE quite well. The June live cattle futures contract ended the week at $115.37/cwt, up $2.52 from last Friday. http://www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle-news/markets/cattle/outlook/Cattle-Outlook-Fed-cattle-prices-lower-packer-margins-improve-149288975.html The big news item for the week was USDA's announcement on Tuesday that a fourth U.S. cow with BSE (mad cow disease) had been found, this time in California. http://www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle-news/markets/cattle/outlook/Cattle-Outlook-USDA-predicts-higher-beef-production-in-2012-148312725.html After four years of decline, USDA is forecasting that world beef production will be up a slight 0.2% this year. http://www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle-news/markets/cattle/outlook/Kansas-Cattle-on-Feed-down-1-percent-148308025.html The number of cattle on feed on April 1, 2012 in Kansas feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity totaled 2.17 million head, down 1 percent from both a year ago and March 1, 2012. This is the lowest April inventory since 1999. http://www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle-news/markets/cattle/outlook/Cattle-Outlook-Beef-exports-down-8-from-a-year-ago-147357295.html Each of our top four foreign buyers (Canada, Mexico, Japan and South Korea) purchased less U.S. beef than in February 2011. http://www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle-news/markets/cattle/outlook/Cattle-Outlook-LFTB-prices-freefall-Fed-cattle-prices-lower-146463845.html The publicity about Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB) and the unappealing new nickname associated with it is having a big impact on beef prices. http://www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle-news/markets/cattle/outlook/Cattle-Outlook-Prime-to-Choice-spread-continues-to-widen-145213705.html The USDA Prospective Plantings report issued today indicates that farmers intend to plant 95.9 million acres of corn this year, the highest level in 75 years. http://www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle-news/markets/cattle/outlook/Cattle-Outlook-Beef-prices-reach-2nd-highest-ever-144008046.html The average price of choice beef at retail during February was $5.045 per pound, down 4.8 cents from the month before, but up 42.7 cents from a year ago. February's average beef price was the second highest ever. The last time beef prices were below year-ago was February 2010.