February 2019 Cattle Feeding Projections
Posted: February 14, 2019
February 2019 Cattle Feeding Projections
February cattle projections are a bit of a surprise as a lot of the cattle are in the black this month. A strong live cattle board certainly has played into this even though as I write this, the board closed down for the day.
It has been helpful that the cost of some of our commodities have started to regulate back to levels prior to ethanol plants shutting down or reducing capacity. However the increase in our cost of gains due to this price hike is by no means over as we continue to market current cattle and close out our lots.
I think we can all agree we would like a much needed break from the winter weather we have been experiencing as of late. Any time we have such harsh conditions it is of number one concern to make sure cattle have access to water and feed, but we know that these prolonged periods of cold stress certainly reduce our performance. Mud, wind, snow and ice all work against us as we try to keep cattle as efficient as possible. Thanks to all of you who have put in many long hours making sure livestock are well cared and accounted for.
Looking towards the future markets one can’t help but wonder what the recent string of weather events in Australia will do to our local beef market. A catastrophic loss of that number will certainly have its impact on US exports. Last reports indicated close to over 500,000 head lost due to the flooding that occurred there. Our thoughts are with our fellow cattlemen who are dealing with these losses.
If you haven’t made plans to attend our 2019 Professional Beef Conference to be held February 20 and 21st in Sioux Falls, SD, you may want to reconsider as many of the guest speakers will be highlighting the many changes and challenges that we currently face. From buying to selling cattle, to what the future markets hold for the beef industry, and everything in between, this years conference addresses many facets of the industry with ample opportunities to ask questions of our speakers and sponsors. We hope you will consider joining us. If you haven’t registered, you can follow the link here: https://formafeed.com/event/form-a-feed-professional-beef-conference-2019/ or contact your Form-A-Feed rep.
As we continue to deal with the weather events of this past fall and winter, remember to talk to your local Form-A-Feed representative on ways to effectively support performance and gain as the weather begins to regulate and cattle are ready for harvest. Pre-harvest products used in the appropriate manner may be able to help offset some of the weight loss that has occurred due to the extreme cold. We are happy to go over with you the ROI on these products and allow you the ability to choose what is right for your marketing situation.
As always, precise projections for your yard can be run by your local Form-A-Feed representative.
We appreciate your business and look forward to seeing you next week at our Professional Beef Conference.