Holiday interruptions did not stunt the demand for beef cattle, with all classes continuing to gain ground. Year-end market activities tend to scare beef producers as fears of Christmas 2003 (BSE outbreak) are rekindled and folks remember just how vulnerable prices are to the public’s perception of our product.  However, massive herd reduction has put a bullishness to the supply-side which is far outweighed by demand as exports continue to inch closer to regaining what was lost seven years ago. Unforeseen factors seem to be the only ones to threaten these inflated markets, since fundamentals appear almost invincible. Many industry members expect extremely tight supplies to culminate in 2011, which could result in all-time record high prices at every level of production.

Cattle and beef markets across the board have jumped sharply in the past several weeks and both Live Cattle and Feeder Cattle futures prices suggest that the industry is in for an extended period of largely unprecedented cattle prices.

In the November "I Am Angus" segment, Carol Hegeman, historian for the National Park Service, discusses President Dwight Eisenhower's passion for agriculture and Angus cattle. The hour-long show is the second program in the American Angus Association’s four-part fall and winter television series. This particular episode — titled “Winds of Change” — celebrates the history of the cattle industry and the heritage of the Angus breed. These programs air on RFD-TV.

November saw cattle markets continue to account for the two contrasting factors on the forefront this fall; extremely high and highly volatile grain and feed costs – versus - tight supplies of beef cattle at every level of production and the expectations that the availability of stocker calves next spring will not be nearly enough to meet demand.