January typically brings cold weather, but it can also bring complications to the cattle market.
One trader says it is his least favorite month to trade but says the coming months could be ideal for producers.
“I see a lot of confidence, especially in this cash feeder market. I mean, these prices, there was about a five or six-week stretch that they just went straight up. I feel like we saw, maybe, some heifers getting held back earlier in this Fall, and then, as we’ve just climbed fast, it’s getting tougher to tougher to think, ‘Are we going to be able to rebuild this cowherd or not just with the sheer cost that it is?’ I mean, it’s like $2,000 heifer calf, and it’s going to cost, you know, my cowboy math says about $1,000 per year on that animal,” said Scott Varilek.
The January Cattle on Feed Report comes out later this month, which will give a better idea of the cattle herd.
Livestock strength is carrying the farm economy, while crop margins remain tight and increasingly dependent on risk management and financial discipline.
January 19, 2026 05:00 PM
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Strong balance sheets still matter, but liquidity, planning, and lender relationships are critical as ag credit tightens, according to analysis from AgAmerica Lending.
January 19, 2026 03:00 PM
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Protein-driven dairy growth is boosting beef supply potential, creating an opening to support rural jobs and ground beef availability.
January 19, 2026 01:00 PM
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U.S. agriculture entered the week with mixed signals as weather, logistics, and markets shaped early-year decisions. Here is a regional breakdown of domestic crop and livestock production for the week of Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
January 19, 2026 11:40 AM
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The Midland County Junior Livestock Show in West Texas features a competitive steer showcase highlighting top-quality cattle and the accomplishments of driven youth exhibitors.
January 16, 2026 01:48 PM
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Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Sid Miller joined us to discuss data center expansion, farmland preservation, rural economic impacts, and imminent cattle biosecurity concerns affecting agriculture today.
January 16, 2026 01:28 PM
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