Profit Tracker
The spread between cattle feeding margins and packer margins narrowed modestly last week. Pork producers remain profitable.
Cattle feeders continue to gain market leverage as packers see pressure from declining wholesale beef prices. Pork producer margins remain solidly in the black.
Packers have reduced harvest and employed other tactics in an effort to regain positive margins. Pork producer margins took another step higher as lean carcass prices advance.
The spread between cattle feeding margins and beef packer margins has now reached $500 per head as packing losses increase. Pork producer margins are the highest of the year.
There’s a $400 spread between cattle feeding margins and packer margins – now in the cowboy’s favor. Cattle harvest is lower as packers reduce hours, a signal their margins are in the red.
A year after the pandemic disrupted the hog industry and left producers facing financial ruin, operators are now experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime rally as farrow-to-finish margins climbed another $7 per head last week.
Farrow-to-finish pork producers earned $28 profit per hog last week, a $3 per head decline from the previous week. A month ago farrow-to-finish pork producers showed a loss of about $2 per head.
Cattle feeding margins declined despite cash prices that were steady across all regions. Packer margins improved with higher beef cutout prices.
Profit margins for cattle sold for slaughter last week declined $55 per head, according to the Sterling Profit Tracker.
Cash cattle prices $3 to $4 lower means cattle feeding margins declined another $33 per head last week.
Cattle feeding margins are rapidly declining as cash cattle prices retreat from spring highs
A $3 per cwt retreat in cash cattle prices pushed cattle feeding margins $67 per head lower.
Cattle feeding margins improved $57 per head last week, due primarily to lower prices paid for incoming feeder cattle against last week’s marketings.
Cattle feeding margins declined by $80 per head last week as cash prices slumped $1 to $2 per cwt.
Cattle feeding margins improved $43 per head last week as cash prices gained nearly $2 per cwt.
Cattle feeding margins improved $16 per head last week as cash prices inched higher less than $1 per cwt.
Average feedyard closeouts improved last week as cash prices inched modestly higher.
Average feedyard closeouts continued to show solid profits on cattle marketed the final week of March.
Cattle feeders’ profits last week were $271 per head more than at the same time last year when $114 per head losses were recorded.
Cattle feeding margins jumped nearly $20 per head higher last week to average $216.
Profit margins for both beef and pork producers fell slightly last week, yet both sectors remain solidly profitable.
Profits continue to increase for both cattle and hog producers.
Both cattle feeding and packer margins improved last week, even as cash fed cattle prices dipped another $1 per cwt.
Profit margins for cattle feeders rose significantly in the past week.
Cattle feeders’ profits last week were $273 per head more than at the same time last year.
Profit margins for cattle feeders moved higher last week while pork producers saw a dip in profitability.
As America’s cattle market continues to defy historical trends, cattle feeding margins have benefited with solid profits most of the year
Cattle feeders’ profits last week were $367 per head more than at the same time last year when $196 per head losses were recorded.
Cattle feeders saw a significant, unseasonal bump in profit margins last week.
The dog days of summer are nowhere to be found with profits continuing to increase for both cattle and hog producers.