Last week, Elliott Dennis discussed the relationship between corn price and feeder cattle placement weights and the likelihood that the industry will continue to place lighter weight cattle while corn prices remain high.

Global supply chains, already hit hard by the pandemic, are facing further disruption and cost inflation after Russian forces invaded Ukraine Feb. 24.

Cattle and beef markets continue to show good and improving strength into 2022. The opening weeks of February communicate potential tightening of, most notably, feeder animal supplies into the summer.

CattleFax CEO Randy Blach, joined by analysts Kevin Good and Mike Murphy, shared their projections and takeaways for the cattle, grain and energy markets in the coming year with ranchers attending the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Cattle Industry Convention in Houston. CattleFax meteorologist Matt Makens also presented a global weather outlook, with some insights closer to home.

University of Missouri (MU) Extension beef nutritionist Eric Bailey says beef producers can offset rising feed prices with changes in their operations. “It’s time to literally cut the fat from cow-calf operations,” says Bailey.

Increasing ingredient costs have wreaked havoc across the dairy industry, leading to elevated ration costs not seen in many years. Feed costs per pound of dry matter (DM) are rising as much as 20% or more as corn and soybean meal prices climb, minimizing farmers’ profit margins.

Randy Blach, CEO of CattleFax, shared an optimistic industry outlook with producers during the National Cattlemen’s Association 2021 Winter Reboot virtual event, held on Feb. 24.