Cattle futures gain more than $3 this week | Weekly Livestock Market Update
In this week's video, Brownfield's Meghan Grebner and University of Kentucky's Kenny Burdine talk trade and risk protection.
Market highlights:
» The 5-market average fed steer price was up sharply again this week at $226.56 per cwt.
» June live cattle futures gained $3.55 from last week, settling Friday at $214.65.
» Choice boxed beef price was up $1.49 compared to last week, coming in today at $345.97.
» May feeder cattle futures were up $3.20 on the week, closing today at $298.15.
» The national base hog carcass price was up slightly to $88.73 per cwt.
» Pork cutout values were up less than $1 at $97.94 per cwt.
» May lean hog futures were actually off by $2.60 this week, closing at $90.35 today.
Weekly Slaughter:
» Cattle slaughter was unchanged week-over-week at 559,000 head, but running a little over 6% lower than last year, year-to-date.
» Hog slaughter was up 2% from last week at 2.49 million head and that’s down a little over 2% year-to-date.
Monthly trade data:
» Beef exports were essentially unchanged from March of 2024 and down 2.7% for the quarter.
» Beef and veal imports were up 47% from year-ago levels and 24% quarter-over-quarter.
» Exports to China were down 2% for the month, but up 2% for the quarter.
» Pork exports were up 3% in March, but down about 1% in the first quarter of this year.
» Pork imports were down 8% for the month and 5.9% for the quarter.
A few changes to LRP for the 2026 reinsurance year:
» Potential to cover forward priced cattle prior to having possession.
» Unborn beef and beef-dairy-cross calves (to be sold very young) and cull dairy cows can be covered.
» Drought hardship exemption allows covered feeder cattle to be sold more than 60 days prior to end date under certain conditions.
» Prohibition of subsidy capture.
Next week's reports:
» Supply and Demand
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