Cattle Market Update
From Steve Kay, editor and publisher of Cattle Buyers Weekly. Catch a roundup of each week’s cattle-market activity every Friday afternoon! View the market review now!
BEEF POLL
USDA Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration published a proposed rule June 22 that could prohibit packers from paying more for some cattle than others, and could derail current value-added marketing agreements between feedlots and packers.
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Harlan's Resources:
About Harlan Hughes
A North Dakota State University professor emeritus, Harlan Hughes writes "Market Advisor," a monthly column in BEEF magazine, and he makes presentations at many state, regional and national beef industry events. He retired as the NDSU Extension livestock economist in 2000 and now lives in Laramie, WY.
Contact Prof. Hughes at 701/238-9607 or e-mail Harlan: harlan.hughes@gte.net.
Harlan Hughes
High vs. low profit ranching operations
Why are some ranchers more profitable than others? Let’s begin in answering this question by looking at how gross income figures for a beef cowherd is constructed...
How to Maximize cattle profits by cutting production costs
The markets are finally moving in the right direction for cow-calf producers. But don't let today's more favorable calf prices deter your focus on production costs...
Is a turnaround in the economy ahead?
Since the current biofuels era has negated the long-run effect of the traditional cattle cycle, ranch-management decisions have become more difficult. Today, predictions about the ranch business can only be made as far out as the predictability of the corn market...
Longevity vs. Weaning Weight
My columns of the past few months have focused specifically on the long-run economics of the beef-cow sector, particularly the role of replacement females in the overall economics of a beef cowherd...
The next decade: Part III
A key determinant of a beef cowherd's cost structure is the cost of replacement females. That's because the economic impact of high-cost replacements...
The next decade: Part II: buying or selling replacement females in the beef herd
Replacement female decisions are among ranch managers' most critical decisions. While complete genetic control is often desired, ranch-raised heifer replacements...
The next decade: Part I
I truly believe ranching in the next decade will not be business as usual. Thus, my next few columns will look to stimulate ranchers' thinking about where...
Don't Market Like 2008 It Might be the Year to Retain Ownership
Many ranchers' first inclination in marketing their 2009 calves is to base it on their 2008 calf crop experiences. That could be a serious mistake. For...
From Our Columnists
High cost producers at a decided disadvantage
"Dumb luck can overwhelm knowledge and rational strategy in the short term. For the long haul, though, there is no substitute for...
Is a turnaround in the economy ahead?
Since the current biofuels era has negated the long-run effect of the traditional cattle cycle, ranch-management decisions have become more difficult...
Busting pinkeye in cattle
Growing up in Missouri, I saw firsthand the wonderful benefits that heat, humidity and high rainfall provide a fly population. Aside from the devastating production losses...
