Date: Oct 23 2024
| CAB InsiderFeeders will continue to reap rewards in the cost and return equation in a market that has recently moved to higher prices. Grid-sold cattle are, on average, capturing Choice and Prime quality premiums at a higher percentage rate this fall. Yet, yield grade and heavy-weight discounts threaten to devalue premiums for the heavy pens of steers, in addition to fewer CAB qualifiers.
Date: Oct 09 2024
| CAB InsiderWith U.S. beef cow numbers projected to decline by 200,000 head in 2024, supplying downstream brand partners with product becomes even more challenging. Understanding why roughly 64% of eligible carcasses are unsuccessful in reaching the brand’s 10 specifications is a big step toward informing cattlemen of their opportunity to capture more dollars through improved carcass quality.
Date: Sep 27 2024
| CAB InsiderIn early August, USDA turned on a new internet dashboard tool providing user-friendly access to more detailed fed cattle pricing information. Using data already captured by the agency through Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR), the dashboard takes a big step in improving user access and utility of the data.
Date: Sep 05 2024
| CAB InsiderThe Choice-Select price spread has long been held as the industry’s barometer for the differential in consumer demand for high-quality, well-marbled beef and the leaner counterpart consisting of only slight degrees of marbling. However, using the current Choice carcass premium to Select as a gauge for consumer demand is misleading.
Date: Aug 07 2024
| CAB InsiderMeeting the demand for the Certified Angus Beef ® brand during the 1980s was relatively easy—we would just add another packing plan to certify carcasses and increase brand supply. Today opportunities for supply growth are more challenging, given that 85% of the U.S. packing volume is licensed under the brand. Thus, supply dynamics come down to one fickle component: the quality of the cattle.
Date: Jul 24 2024
| CAB InsiderThe fed cattle market was defensive last week, pressured by slippage in boxed beef values and an underperforming futures market. Taking a broader view, the USDA Prime grade has been the beneficiary of longer feeding periods with the national average Prime share at 10.5%.
Date: Jul 11 2024
| CAB InsiderEasily one of the top themes for the first half of 2024, carcass weights have averaged a 21 lb. surplus above the same time a year ago. In the past seven weeks, the weight increase bulged to average 32 lb. heavier than a year ago. Read more of the details in the CAB Insider.
Date: Jun 26 2024
| CAB InsiderBeef market veterans know the onset of summer brings on the “dog days of summer” for beef consumption trends. This means that middle meat steak items, perfect for grilling during spring holidays, begin to take a backseat.
Date: Jun 14 2024
| CAB InsiderPrice spreads between quality grades are beginning to seasonally widen—as expected this time of year—but the magnitude of the spread movement is less pronounced than in recent years.
Date: May 30 2024
| CAB InsiderBeef Month is nearing its end and with that the anticipation of spring holiday and grilling season demand begins to tarnish. Father’s Day remains a target in mid-June and spot market wholesale beef demand will likely hold up through that period.
