# CattleFax Outlook: Cattle profitability remains for 2018

> CattleFax projects 2018 steer calf prices averaging $158 per cwt and fed steer prices averaging $115, both lower than last year. It expects beef production to rise 3 percent to 27.5 billion pounds, with record total red meat and poultry output for several years.

- Date: 2018-02-02 · published 2018-02-02T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/66628-cattlefax-outlook-cattle-profitability-remains-for-2018
- Commodities: [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md), [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md), [Chicken](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CHICKEN.md)

## Why it matters

Record red meat and poultry supplies point to softer cattle prices, though CattleFax expects profitability to hold as the price break is largely done.

## Read by commodity

- CHICKEN: bearish ▼
- FCATTLE: bearish ▼
- LCATTLE: bearish ▼

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LCATTLE | 2018-06-08 | [Projecting feeder cattle prices in 2018](https://feedsoft.ai/events/64683-projecting-feeder-cattle-prices-in-2018.md) | +0.8% | -2.6% |
| LCATTLE | 2018-05-01 | [FEEDSTUFFS MEAT PRICE OUTLOOK: May 01, 2018](https://feedsoft.ai/events/4611-feedstuffs-meat-price-outlook-may-01-2018.md) | -7.4% | -13.3% |
| LCATTLE | 2018-02-02 | [CattleFax: Large supply and strong demand in 2018](https://feedsoft.ai/events/66626-cattlefax-large-supply-and-strong-demand-in-2018.md) | -0.5% | -0.7% |
| LCATTLE | 2024-03-27 | [Fed cattle supplies remain larger than a year ago \| Ag Proud](https://feedsoft.ai/events/31322-fed-cattle-supplies-remain-larger-than-a-year-ago-ag-proud.md) | -0.9% | -2.1% |
| LCATTLE | 2017-12-29 | [A Few Thoughts by John Nalivka: Big picture beef supply outlook for 2018 \| TSLN.com](https://feedsoft.ai/events/67601-a-few-thoughts-by-john-nalivka-big-picture-beef-supply-outlook-for-2018-tsln-com.md) | +0.3% | +0.4% |
| FCATTLE | 2018-06-08 | [Projecting feeder cattle prices in 2018](https://feedsoft.ai/events/64683-projecting-feeder-cattle-prices-in-2018.md) | -1.6% | +4.2% |
| FCATTLE | 2020-07-30 | [Cattle futures look for price direction](https://feedsoft.ai/events/52236-cattle-futures-look-for-price-direction.md) | +2.0% | +0.4% |
| FCATTLE | 2018-05-01 | [FEEDSTUFFS MEAT PRICE OUTLOOK: May 01, 2018](https://feedsoft.ai/events/4611-feedstuffs-meat-price-outlook-may-01-2018.md) | -1.8% | +3.4% |

## Sources

- beefmagazine.com: https://www.beefmagazine.com/cattle-market-outlook/cattlefax-outlook-cattle-profitability-remains-for-2018

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