# UK ag economist says cattle markets volatile amidst COVID-19 uncertainties - The Lane Report | Kentucky Business & Economic News - UK ag economist says cattle markets volatile amidst COVID-19 uncertainties

> University of Kentucky agricultural economist Kenny Burdine said COVID-19 demand shocks hit cattle close to harvest hardest, with fed cattle prices falling sharply. CME March feeder cattle futures had dropped nearly $25 per hundredweight from early March through March 16. Kentucky heavy feeders had held up better, supported by good pasture conditions.

- Date: 2020-03-17 · published 2020-03-17T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: disease · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/11127-uk-ag-economist-says-cattle-markets-volatile-amidst-covid-19-uncertainties-the
- Commodities: [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md), [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

Lower fed and feeder cattle values reduce the cost of finishing rations for feeders and signal weaker near-term cattle demand for feed. Pasture conditions limit supply impact in the short run.

## Read by commodity

- FCATTLE: bearish ▼
- LCATTLE: bearish ▼

## Linked price moves

| Commodity | Date | Window | Change % | z-score | Why linked |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| FCATTLE | 2020-03-16 | 1 | +4.7% | 3.3 | Notes March feeder futures fell nearly $25/cwt through March 16 on COVID-19 demand shocks, giving context for the continued selloff on the move date. |
| FCATTLE | 2020-03-15 | 5 | -15.1% | -7.8 | Notes March feeder futures down nearly $25/cwt from early March through March 16, corroborating the magnitude, though it extends beyond the window. |

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LCATTLE | 2020-05-09 | [Cattle Market Expectations for Fall Under COVID-19 - Northern Ag Network](https://feedsoft.ai/events/53273-cattle-market-expectations-for-fall-under-covid-19-northern-ag-network.md) | +4.3% | +7.9% |
| LCATTLE | 2020-03-25 | [Kentucky Beef Cattle Market Update \| Farms.com](https://feedsoft.ai/events/7963-kentucky-beef-cattle-market-update-farms-com.md) | +2.1% | -11.7% |
| LCATTLE | 2020-03-06 | [Analyst: Cattle markets roiled by the coronavirus](https://feedsoft.ai/events/5172-analyst-cattle-markets-roiled-by-the-coronavirus.md) | -4.7% | -5.8% |
| LCATTLE | 2020-03-27 | [Ag economists weigh in on COVID shutdown - Progressive Cattle \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/7964-ag-economists-weigh-in-on-covid-shutdown-progressive-cattle-ag-proud.md) | -2.2% | -13.4% |
| LCATTLE | 2019-09-05 | [Kay’s Cuts: Abattoir fire strikes at heart of US cattle market - Beef Central](https://feedsoft.ai/events/6591-kay-s-cuts-abattoir-fire-strikes-at-heart-of-us-cattle-market-beef-central.md) | -2.1% | +3.2% |
| FCATTLE | 2020-05-09 | [Cattle Market Expectations for Fall Under COVID-19 - Northern Ag Network](https://feedsoft.ai/events/53273-cattle-market-expectations-for-fall-under-covid-19-northern-ag-network.md) | -2.5% | +4.0% |
| FCATTLE | 2020-03-25 | [Kentucky Beef Cattle Market Update \| Farms.com](https://feedsoft.ai/events/7963-kentucky-beef-cattle-market-update-farms-com.md) | -6.4% | -9.0% |
| FCATTLE | 2020-03-06 | [Analyst: Cattle markets roiled by the coronavirus](https://feedsoft.ai/events/5172-analyst-cattle-markets-roiled-by-the-coronavirus.md) | -11.1% | -17.2% |

## Sources

- lanereport.com: https://www.lanereport.com/123018/2020/03/uk-ag-economist-says-cattle-markets-volatile-amidst-covid-19-uncertainties/

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.