Are Slaughter Speeds and Beef Prices Hinting That Beef Demand is Stronger Than Believed?

Marketplace pressures have been numerous lately. Ever since the mass technical selloff in commodities earlier this month, there's been an uneasy feeling at the core of the cattle complex. Live cattle and feeder cattle prices have suffered and both feeder cattle in the countryside and cash cattle prices have weakened.

As an analyst, my job is to track and monitor the market and to share any worthwhile trends or changes I notice. I wish I could accurately predict what the market will do on any given day, but as a dear friend of mine and fellow colleague once said, "The only reason the position of a livestock market analyst was created was because someone had to make the weather man look good once in a while."

I know Americans are financially feeling the stress of our burdened and strained economy, which makes it seem odd to say beef prices are faring well overall. But I can't help but share what the data presents.

Marketplace pressures have been numerous lately. Ever since the mass technical selloff in commodities earlier this month, there's been an uneasy feeling at the core of the cattle complex. Live cattle and feeder cattle prices have suffered and both feeder cattle in the countryside and cash cattle prices have weakened.

As an analyst, my job is to track and monitor the market and to share any worthwhile trends or changes I notice. I wish I could accurately predict what the market will do on any given day, but as a dear friend of mine and fellow colleague once said, "The only reason the position of a livestock market analyst was created was because someone had to make the weather man look good once in a while."

I know Americans are financially feeling the stress of our burdened and strained economy, which makes it seem odd to say beef prices are faring well overall. But I can't help but share what the data presents.