Cattle hide seems to be in high demand.
They are a part of the drop credit of a carcass, which also includes the head, organs, and blood. Some variety meats comes from these parts, including liver, hearts, and tongues.
The byproduct value has been lower over the last several years, but it is approaching $13 dollars per hundredweight. That is the highest price in six years.
The value of the hide is what is driving the price hike.
According to Katelyn McCullock with the Livestock Market Information Center, “We’ve been talking for a long time about the decline in the leather industry, the seemingly lack of preference towards leather, both globally and in the U.S. We’ve seen cars move away from that, to some extent in sneakers. We’re wondering now if there’s a resurgence in interest. Have consumer preferences actually changed or is it because everyone went out and bought a new car in 2021 and in late 2020? Is that part of this, is it more of a manufacturing issue?”
The Livestock Market Information Center says that exports this year are also higher, but like every industry, finding the labor to process hides is a problem.