While the pork industry likely also benefitted from the Labor Day weekend grilling and high beef prices, it was not to the extent of the beef industry. The Pork Cutout averaged $112.94/cwt. for the week and down from $113.45/cwt. the prior week while the Lean Carcass Value averaged $107.75/cwt. leaving packer margins averaging at about breakeven and little changed from the prior week.
Low feed costs continue to benefit farrow-to-finish operations with their estimated margin for the week $81.69/head.
View the full Sterling Pork Profit Tracker for the week ending Aug. 30.
The Beef and Pork Profit Trackers are calculated by Sterling Marketing, Vale, Ore.
(Note: The Sterling Beef Profit Tracker calculates an average beef cutout value for the week in its estimates for feedyard and packer margins. Other prices in the weekly Profit Tracker also are calculated weekly averages. Feedyard margins are calculated on a cash basis only with no adjustment for risk management practices. The Beef and Pork Profit Trackers are intended only as a benchmark for the average cash costs of feeding cattle and hogs. Sterling Marketing is a private, independent beef and pork consulting firm not associated with any packing company or livestock feeding enterprise.)
