Date: Jan 11 2023
CAB Insider & Premium PotentialDiving into 2023, the much-discussed beef cow herd culling comes home to roost, bringing on a supply challenge for the beef industry. Everyone downstream from the packer needs to be prepared to see more frequent, potentially wider price spreads for quality within the shrinking supply setting.
Date: Dec 14 2022
CAB InsiderFed cattle prices found a stable range in the past three weeks after making the $3/cwt. upward leap the week of Thanksgiving. Last week’s negotiated cash trade was on a smaller weekly head count and packers kept a lid on the upward price momentum.
Date: Nov 30 2022
CAB InsiderFourth quarter demand for premium quality grade beef carcasses is predictably high. End users—grocery stores in particular—place orders several weeks ahead of the December timeline to fulfill holiday middle-meat needs. Prime grade carcass supplies have disappointed throughout the year with 11.2% fewer total pounds of Prime carcasses acquired so far.
Date: Nov 16 2022
CAB InsiderThe current cattle markets can provide a history lesson for those new to the scene. To give a quick recap of that era: record-high prices, fueled by a supply chain starved for cattle numbers, came to an abrupt end. This signaled the end of tight cattle supplies, caused by drought liquidation, and beef cattle producers were able to restock the nation’s cow herd.
Date: Nov 02 2022
CAB InsiderThe brand’s commitment to aggregating winning outcomes is reliant on the relevance of the brand’s carcass specifications to each sector of the beef industry, and ultimately the consumer. This commitment to evolve as the overall industry progresses has resulted in the brand’s recent adjustment of the hot carcass weight maximum to 1,100 lb.
Date: Oct 20 2022
About the brand & CAB InsiderThe brand recorded the second largest ever sales volume in fiscal 2022 with total sales culminating in 1.234 billion pounds, a 1.6% increase on the prior year. The sum was narrowly below the brand’s 2019 record 1.25 billion pounds sold.
Date: Oct 05 2022
CAB InsiderFollowing beef quality grade trends may not be as exciting as college football, but for beef marketers quality grade is the game. This season is nothing short of dynamic, as we’ve been waiting on improvement in what has been a subpar carcass marbling achievement across the northern tier of cattle feeding country most of this year.
Date: Sep 21 2022
CAB InsiderToday’s Premium Choice and Prime beef production volume is monumentally larger than it was in 2006 when just 14% of Angus-type carcasses met CAB specifications, compared to our latest annual average of 36%. The current small drops from record-high production volumes create supply concerns among grocers and restaurant partners in today’s demand-driven environment.
Date: Sep 07 2022
CAB InsiderThe major shift in corn prices likely doesn’t entice cow/calf producers to consider retained ownership for the first time. Even though prices have been exceptional for calves and feeder cattle, it’s telling to take a look at feedlot breakeven projections to understand where prices are originating.
Date: Aug 10 2022
CAB InsiderRecent data shows the Choice carcass category has declined while the Select category has drifted higher. This supply data goes against what beef customers increasingly desire and are willing to pay for premium middle meats, thus rapidly elevating the Prime to Choice cutout value spread.
