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
Outdated reporting thresholds reduce cash-market visibility and increase the urgency of comprehensive Mandatory Price Reporting reform.
December 10, 2025 07:00 PM
·
Rancher David Kroa of
One Man Ranch joins us to share the story of his remarkable Shorthorn cow, Trish, who is beating the odds.
December 10, 2025 12:11 PM
·
Cattle imports from Mexico remain stalled amid the New World screwworm outbreak. At the same time, Tyson closures add pressure on Nebraska producers and markets ahead of the USDA’s upcoming Cattle on Feed Report.
December 08, 2025 01:55 PM
·
The Lexington shutdown pushes national slaughter capacity utilization nearer long-run averages, underscoring how tight cattle supplies are reshaping packer operations.
December 06, 2025 06:00 AM
·
Texas livestock producers face a heightened biosecurity threat as New World screwworm detections in northern Mexico coincide with FDA approval of the first topical treatment.
December 05, 2025 11:27 AM
·
Rooster is a full-time farmhand, right-hand man on Shawn Raff’s cattle and dairy operation in Eatonton, Georgia.
December 04, 2025 11:48 AM
·
