Pork packing-processing margins continued to weaken last week averaging $3.50/head and $2/head from the prior week.
The Pork Cutout gained about $1/cwt. from a week earlier to average $96.04/cwt. However, the W. Cornbelt Lean Carcass Value averaged $89.04 for the week against $87.26/cwt. the prior week giving farrow-to-finish margins a boost to average $52/head for the week and nearly $4/head higher than the previous week.
Capacity utilization in the plants averaged 95% last week.
View the full Sterling Pork Profit Tracker for the week ending Feb. 21.
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.)
