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Last week’s $3 per cwt. decline in cash fed cattle prices dealt another cruel blow to feedyard closeouts.

The dog days of summer are here for cattle producers as red ink continues seeping into feedlot ledgers.

Cattle feeding profits declined $20vper head last week, yet closeouts remained $11 in the black.

Cattle feeding margins eroded $62 per head last week, falling $35 into negative territory.

Feedyard margins remained about $150 per head last week despite a $6 per cwt. retreat in cash cattle prices.

A cash market rally helped add $62 per head to feedyard margins last week, ending with total average profits of $212 per head, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker.

With cash cattle prices tumbling another $4 per cwt lower, cattle feeding margins fell accordingly.

Last week’s $2 per cwt cash cattle rally lifted feedyard margins to breakeven.

Last week’s $1 per cwt retreat in cash cattle prices took feedyard margins only modestly lower.

A $1 decline in average fed cattle prices and a $25 per head increase in the cost of feeder cattle pushed cattle feeding losses to $52 per head last week.