# A Few Thoughts by John Nalivka: Big picture beef supply outlook for 2018 | TSLN.com

> USDA's December 1 Cattle on Feed report showed November placements up 14% year over year and on-feed inventory up 8%. Feedlot margins averaged $235 per head in 2017, motivating further placements into 2018.

- Date: 2017-12-29 · published 2017-12-29T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: report · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/67601-a-few-thoughts-by-john-nalivka-big-picture-beef-supply-outlook-for-2018-tsln-com
- Commodities: [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md), [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md), [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [Soybean Meal](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SBM.md)

## Why it matters

Strong placements mean higher feed grain and feed ingredient demand through 2018, while feeder cattle prices are expected to face pressure from rising supplies.

## Read by commodity

- SBM: bullish ▲
- CORN: bullish ▲
- FCATTLE: bearish ▼
- LCATTLE: bearish ▼

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| FCATTLE | 2018-02-02 | [CattleFax Outlook: Cattle profitability remains for 2018](https://feedsoft.ai/events/66628-cattlefax-outlook-cattle-profitability-remains-for-2018.md) | -1.5% | -3.9% |
| FCATTLE | 2017-12-20 | [Big beef supply is a given, so watch demand](https://feedsoft.ai/events/67600-big-beef-supply-is-a-given-so-watch-demand.md) | -0.0% | +1.9% |
| FCATTLE | 2018-03-06 | [What you need to know from ABARES’ Outlook 2018 \| ACT](https://feedsoft.ai/events/65950-what-you-need-to-know-from-abares-outlook-2018-act.md) | -2.0% | -10.1% |
| FCATTLE | 2019-01-08 | [Beef cattle market: 2018 in review and a look ahead \| Western Livestock Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/61217-beef-cattle-market-2018-in-review-and-a-look-ahead-western-livestock-journal.md) | -0.8% | -1.5% |
| FCATTLE | 2025-12-18 | [Beef Market Outlook: Heavier Weights, Price Adjustments](https://feedsoft.ai/events/21647-beef-market-outlook-heavier-weights-price-adjustments.md) | +0.9% | +6.0% |
| LCATTLE | 2019-10-03 | [Q4 outlooks look gloomy for beef industry \| Western Livestock Journal](https://feedsoft.ai/events/56709-q4-outlooks-look-gloomy-for-beef-industry-western-livestock-journal.md) | +2.3% | +5.9% |
| LCATTLE | 2018-02-02 | [CattleFax Outlook: Cattle profitability remains for 2018](https://feedsoft.ai/events/66628-cattlefax-outlook-cattle-profitability-remains-for-2018.md) | -0.5% | -0.7% |
| LCATTLE | 2017-12-20 | [Big beef supply is a given, so watch demand](https://feedsoft.ai/events/67600-big-beef-supply-is-a-given-so-watch-demand.md) | +0.7% | -0.7% |

## Sources

- tsln.com: https://www.tsln.com/opinion/a-few-thoughts-by-john-nalivka-big-picture-beef-supply-outlook-for-2018/

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