Page 17 - MWC 04-22-2021s

Looking Ahead to Marketing The Midwest Cattleman · April 22, 2021 · P17

Spring Calves

By Paul Dykstra
Cattle and beef markets ly average data through last
have been a flurry of activity Thursday.
with many positive market Equally important, retail
indicators sending fed cattle demand is sharp and food-
and cutout values rapidly service business continues
higher. to open up around the coun-
Fed cattle values finally try. A lot of boxed beef orders
broke out of their seven-week have been pre-booked, mak-
stagnation in the $114/cwt. ing the thinly traded cash
range with a two-week gain market all the more heated
ending in last week’s $122/ so far in April.
cwt. average. Eastern Ne- Middle meats are still the
braska and Iowa feedyards driver in the spring market
featured the top prices on the and buyers are snatching up factor in current breakeven quoted at $132/cwt., a price
week, ranging from $123 to grilling items in preparation calculations. The corn price that hasn’t been reached
$125/cwt., evidence that the for warmer spring weather rally that began last August since the $136/cwt. value
region is the most current as and the excitement that will has taken dry matter ration seen in June 2017. This is
far as harvest-ready cattle. be even higher this season as costs from the $200/ton range not to suggest that we limit
The shift away from larg- people are able to congregate. to upward of $300/ton range, upside expectations, prices
er availability of yearlings to Ribeyes are in short sup- with lots of variables depend- could move higher, but this a
the new crop of spring 2020 ply, sending wholesale prices ing on timing and circum- respectable price given what
calf-fed cattle is beginning. to average $11.78/lb. for CAB stances in the future. Today’s we’ve experienced in the past
This is the early stage of this product. Strip loins, short information looking ahead three years.
seasonal trend, with more to loins and tenderloins are all as far as next fall suggests Marketing the spring 2021
come as April progresses. priced much higher with pric- using a ration cost of $300 to calf crop when the calves are
es jump- $320/ton in calculations. just weeks old is possibly a bit
ing daily, The April 2022 Live Cat-
a couple tle contract this Tuesday was continued on page 25
of weeks
ahead of
schedule.

A study
of histor-
ic middle Located 45 mi. SE of Kansas City, Mo on 58 Hwy. east at
meat pric- Modern Kingsville Livestock Auction Center at Kingsville, MO
ing sug-
gests a late- Special Cow & Bull Sale
Latest USDA carcass qual- April price decline but that
ity grade information dates would be a serious departure in conjunction with
back to the week of March from current market activity. Show-Me-Select Bred Heifers
22. The two-week dated The old saying that "the cure
trends show no indication for high prices is high pric-
of marbling trending lower es" may yet come to fruition. Saturday, May 15 • 11:00am
in Nebraska packing plants. It’s an exciting market to sell
In fact, quite the opposite is into and a very difficult mar-
true. The % Prime total in Ne- ket for buyers caught short of Two-Day
braska reached 17.5% during needed product.
that period. This is immense- LOOKING AHEAD TO Memorial Weekend Sale
ly higher than a year ago by MARKETING SPRING
4 percentage points and 5 CALVES May 30-31 • 9:00am
points higher than in 2019. With baby calves running
The trend could turn lower around many spring-calving

with April data, but it’s a operations there’s probably Tractors-Hay Equipment - Livestock Equipment
quality-rich carcass environ- little thought to fall feeder Antiques - Trucks/Cars - Lawn & Garden
ment at last test, not indica- calf markets for this majori-
tive of an especially "green" ty of cow-calf producers. Still,
set of fed cattle in the region. recent bullish direction in All Consigners & Buyers Welcome
The smaller 609K head cattle futures urges a degree Call 816-597-3331 Office
federally inspected harvest of optimism looking ahead
two weeks ago likely has had to marketing the new calf Rick, Jeremy or Jared Anstine
some bearing on cutout pric- crop. 816-258-3421 • 816-716-9288 • 816-878-5229
es making massive upward With this said, feedyard
moves. The CAB cutout was ration costs are the limiting Website: www.kingsvillelivestock.com • email: anstineauction@gmail.com
up $21.25/cwt. in the week-