The cost of Choice MEAT in the US market fell by $0.57 over the week, the price of Select beef rose by $0.67. Choice/Select leverage has dropped to $6.95.
Traders said weekly US beef EXPORT sales were disappointing at 15,700 tons. This was down 14% from the previous week and down 23% from the previous four weeks' average, according to the USDA.
June CME livestock fell 0.400 cents to 119.650 cents a pound. May feedstock futures fell 1 cent to 144.425 cents a pound, hitting their lowest price since May 19, 2020.
Beef processor Cargill said about 4,600 cattle were slaughtered at its plant in Dodge City, Kansas on Thursday, about 11.5% less than usual. A day earlier, the company said the facility was experiencing technical issues with its automated delivery system.
Operations should return to normal on Monday, Cargill said.
Overall, according to the USDA, meat processors sent 114,000 cattle for slaughter on Thursday, up from 119,000 a week earlier.
WEEKLY CUT CHOICE COST
AVERAGE WEEKLY LIVESTOCK PRICE
Sale of livestock, heads
Average weight
average price
as of 09.04.2021
as of 04/16/2021
Growth,%
as of 09.04.2021
as of 04/16/2021
Growth,%
as of 09.04.2021
as of 04/16/2021
Growth,%
Bulls (live weight)
14 563
23 153
59.0%
1470
1433
-2.5%
117
122
3.8%
Heifers (live weight)
9176
8357
-8.9%
1297
1295
-0.2%
117.18
121.11
3.4%
Bulls (slaughter. weight)
7519
15161
101.6%
956
940
-1.7%
188.68
195.63
3.7%
Heifers (slaughter weight)
1239
7688
520.5%
849
851
0.2%
189.06
195.85
3.6%
WEEKLY WEIGHTED AVERAGE PRICE OF BULLS
BEEF PRODUCTION
as of 04/17/2021
A week earlier
A year ago
Growth per week,%
Growth per year,%
(approximately)
(approximately)
(actually)
Slaughter volume
640 000
641 000
486 000
-0.2%
31.7%
Live weight
1375
1375
1 358
0.0%
1.3%
slaughter weight
830
830
816
0.0%
1.7%
Beef production (million pounds)
530.2
530.9
395.6
-0.1%
34.0%
CME, livestock futures
Week 14
Week 15
Growth per week,%
April
120.03
120.85
0.7%
June
122.55
119.18
-2.7%
August
121.53
119.15
-2.0%
CME, fattening cattle futures
March
143.88
139.63
-3.0%
April
149.23
143.73
-3.7%
May
158.00
154.55
-2.2%