LUBBOCK, TEXAS (RFD NEWS) — Cash fed cattle prices have pulled back in recent weeks, even as boxed beef values and consumer demand continue moving higher.
Analysis from Certified Angus Beef’s Paul Dykstra shows cash cattle traded near $234 per hundredweight last week, down from roughly $243 two weeks earlier. Pressure has come from broader market uncertainty tied to geopolitical tensions, weaker Live Cattle futures, and smaller weekly harvest volumes that have given packers added leverage. A strike at the JBS Greeley plant has also disrupted regional flows, shifting cattle to other facilities.
At the same time, carcass weights remain unusually heavy, down just 4 pounds since January, compared to a typical 16-pound seasonal decline. That suggests feedyards are becoming less current on market-ready cattle, even with historically tight supplies.
Wholesale beef values are moving in the opposite direction. Cutout prices have surged alongside strong demand, with retail beef prices hitting a record $9.64 per pound in February.
Higher grading is also reshaping the market. Prime carcasses are expected to exceed 14 percent of the mix in 2026, expanding premium beef supply and supporting broader demand growth.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Strong beef demand is offsetting weaker cash cattle.
Tony St. James, RFD NEWS Markets Specialist
Tight supplies continue supporting strong cull values.
March 13, 2026 03:40 PM
·
F-10 Wound Spray can now be used for livestock and other animals as officials monitor the ongoing New World Screwworm outbreak in Mexico.
March 13, 2026 01:31 PM
·
China’s stricter inspection rules prompt Cargill to pause soybean exports from Brazil, briefly lifting U.S. soybean prices as traders anticipate potential shifts in global trade, as export demand remains supportive across all major U.S. commodities.
March 13, 2026 12:57 PM
·
Suderman joins Tony St. James in the RFD Studios to discuss how geopolitical tensions are triggering global transport disruptions, new inflation pressures, and other challenges for agriculture to navigate.
March 13, 2026 11:08 AM
·
Severe drought in South Texas is forcing ranchers to consider cattle sell-offs as feed and water supplies dwindle, threatening herd health and livestock operations.
March 12, 2026 05:09 PM
·
Dr. David Anderson with Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension discusses how geopolitical tensions and the Middle East, along with export disruptions in the Chinese market, will shape cattle markets in the months ahead.
March 12, 2026 12:54 PM
·
