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A look ahead to Friday’s Cattle on Feed report

A livestock market analyst says one of the things he’s watching for in Friday’s Cattle on Feed report is how long calves are being held on pasture.

University of Missouri’s Scott Brown says September 2016 placements were the lowest they’ve been since the series began in 1996.  “When you look around the country, with the exception of the southeast, precipitation has been good,” he says.  “I think we’ve seen some good wheat pasture growth starting so I think we’re seeing some demand for calves to go on that pasture.  But, are we holding some of those calves back that eventually have to get to the feedlot.”

He tells Brownfield if producers are holding cattle longer now it means heavier calves will be placed in feedlots early in 2017.

Brown says more cattle at heavier weights would suggest lower cattle and beef prices by the summer of 2017.

The numbers come out Friday at 3 Eastern/2 Central.