The cattle economy has seen a strong few weeks in the market. Western Livestock Auction, which has been in business for three decades, says they’ve never seen as many cattle as they did last week at the Oklahoma National Stockyards – and yet prices remain strong. This puts producers in a bit of a tricky situation, as they weigh the cost-benefits of holding onto cattle or selling them.
And those green pastures are prevalent across a large portion of the country: the latest USDA crop progress report rated national pastures at 46 percent good-to-excellent.
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Beef industry groups seem to agree — market-based pricing, not federal intervention, best supports rancher livelihoods and long-term beef supply stability.
Cattle groups say additional imports would offer little relief for consumers but could erode rancher confidence as the industry begins to rebuild herds.
The government shutdown has touched nearly every sector of the ag industry since it began, and now impacts are spilling over into dairy.
Expect firm calf and fed-cattle prices — pair selective heifer retention with prudent hedging and liquidity to bridge rebuilding costs.