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DTN reports fat cattle feeders cannot get bids for over a month while USDA boxed beef cutout rose above $4 per pound, a record. Grocers Kroger, Costco, Walmart and Hy-Vee are limiting meat sales as packing plants shut due to COVID-19.
The widening gap between cash cattle and boxed beef highlights packer disruption that suppresses live cattle demand, a bearish factor for feeder and fed cattle values.
dtnpf.comMay 5, 2020After 70 past bearish disease events, Live Cattle moved a median +0.0% over 5 sessions (51% higher; middle half -1.7% to +1.0%), and +0.4% over 20.
After 46 past bearish disease events, Feeder Cattle moved a median +0.3% over 5 sessions (54% higher; middle half -2.3% to +1.6%), and +1.8% over 20.
Moves of each commodity's benchmark from the last close before the event. Historical reads pool past events of the same kind; they describe what happened, not what will. Not investment advice.
Record boxed beef cutout above $4/lb and retail rationing signaled strong packer margins, supporting a rebound in depressed fat cattle prices.
Record boxed beef cutout above $4/lb and packing plant shutdowns signaled strong packer margins and a likely resumption of buying, supporting futures despite the cash bid gap.
Record boxed beef above $4/lb with feeders unable to get bids points to a severe supply bottleneck and a large beef-cattle price gap that set up the rebound.
