Cattle Chatter

The cattle market staged a positive correction Thursday, posting a solid jump and strong close. On this week’s Cattle Chatter, Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek breaks down the nearly $7 jump in feeder cattle and how an overbought corn market helped give cattle some support.

Meanwhile, USDA headlines continue to create plenty of questions. An announcement on beef labeling is expected by the end of the week, while reports suggest Congress is considering a government loan program to help producers with herd retention.

That follows earlier talk of a heifer retention program, leaving many producers with more questions than answers about what these programs could ultimately mean for the cattle industry.

Brad also takes a closer look at the wholesale beef market, comparing this past Tuesday’s prices with the same period last year. The difference is striking—nearly 25%.

📈 Cattle bounced. Feeders jumped. Policy headlines are building.

So, is the cattle market finally starting to turn the corner?

🎙️ Brad Kooima breaks it all down on this week’s Cattle Chatter.

Specialty buying, short covering and some bargain hunting are adding another layer to this week’s cattle trade. But the big surprise came in the cash market, as the North blinked first while the South continues to hold out.

On this week’s Cattle Chatter, Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek breaks down why it was so unusual to see Northern cattle trade ahead of the Southern market and what that could mean for cattle producers.

Brad also looks at plant closures, including Joslin, and how changes in processing capacity can work their way back into the cash cattle market. We also take a look at the border reopening this week, comparing cattle and futures prices from May 11, 2025, with where the market stands this week.

And with Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins announcing that officials are looking at Nogales as another potential crossing point, the border story continues to be one cattle producers are watching closely. What does all of this mean for cash cattle and the leverage of the cattleman? Tune in to this week’s Cattle Chatter!

Are we not killing enough cattle—and are producers starting to lose their leverage?

On this week's Cattle Chatter, Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek breaks down a cattle market full of moving pieces. Tyson plants are going offline, Ft. Morgan is coming back online, and boxed beef is showing some movement.

Meanwhile, the charts have been a wreck, the cash market is trying to firm, and Kansas has now joined Colorado and Texas in going "confidential" on USDA cash cattle reporting, citing thin trading volume.

So, with all these pieces moving at once, what would make Brad feel good about this cattle market?

👉 You'll have to watch all the way to the end to find out! 🐄📈

Compared with the past couple of weeks, cattle slaughter numbers have been lower, raising questions about how quickly the market can work through available supplies. On this week's Cattle Chatter, brought to you by Zoetis, Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek breaks down the latest slaughter numbers while looking at the impact of extreme heat, dry pastures and an uptick in video cattle sales.

Was last week's cash cattle trade actually cattle purchased for deferred delivery? Open interest has also posted more down days, adding another layer of uncertainty to the market.

As Labor Day approaches, the focus turns to beef demand and boxed beef movement. How does the market get the boxes turned, and what will it take to keep product moving as we look beyond the holiday and into the fall?

Early cash trade in Kansas and Nebraska provided some initial strength to the cattle market, but the rally was short-lived as volatility continues to define the trade.

On this week's Cattle Chatter, Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek breaks down the ongoing volatility, including the lack of open interest and the challenges facing the market. He also discusses the uncertainty surrounding the Fort Morgan plant, dry pastures across parts of the West while other areas are finally receiving rain, and what those conditions could mean for cattle supplies.

The scheduled reopening of the U.S.-Mexico border later this month is another factor traders are watching. But Kooima says producers shouldn't view the reopening as a quick fix. The flow of cattle coming across the border is expected to be more of a trickle than a flood, meaning the impact on overall U.S. cattle supplies will take time to develop.

News of the scheduled border reopening weighed heavily on the cattle market early in the week, contributing to Monday's sharp selloff. By midweek, however, much of that information had been absorbed by the market, allowing cattle futures to recover and post gains. The question now is whether softer cash prices will ultimately dictate the market's direction and pull futures lower. Direct cash cattle trade across the Plains remained quiet, with no established packer bids or feedlot asking prices early in the day. While buying interest is expected to increase as the week progresses, it remains uncertain whether meaningful trade will develop before Friday. On this week's Cattle Chatter, Joe Kooima of Kooima Kooima Varilek breaks down the wave of market-moving data released late last week and discusses whether boxed beef values have begun to stabilize. He also examines whether retailers are starting to procure beef ahead of Labor Day demand and shares his long-term concerns about the lingering effects of last week's extreme heat on feedlot performance and cattle health.

The cattle market remains under heavy pressure, with prices continuing to slide as traders contend with weaker cash trade, softer boxed beef values, and uncertainty over near-term consumer demand.

On this week's Cattle Chatter, Joe Kooima of Kooima Kooima Varilek examines what has become a market in free fall. He explains the factors behind the sharp decline in both cash cattle and boxed beef, why the market is searching for stability, and what needs to happen to restore confidence.

Kooima also discusses the importance of consumer beef demand during the peak of the summer grilling season and whether stronger retail movement can help provide support to a market that continues to face significant pressure despite historically tight cattle supplies.

Why did the cash cattle market collapse this week? Cash prices fell $24 from the previous week, leaving producers asking what changed in a market that continues to be supported by historically tight cattle supplies.

On this week's Cattle Chatter, Brad Kooima of Kooima Kooima Varilek breaks down the factors behind the sharp decline and explains why the market came under such heavy pressure despite the bullish long-term fundamentals.

Kooima discusses the ongoing challenges facing cattle producers, including deteriorating pasture conditions due to dry weather, temperatures climbing as high as 114 degrees in Montana, and continued recovery from wildfire damage in other regions. He also examines a slowdown in online video auction sales, another sign that buyers may be taking a more cautious approach.

Despite the recent selloff, Kooima explains why the market continues to hold above its long-term trend line and what that could mean for the direction of cattle prices in the weeks ahead.

For the past several weeks, we've been discussing the importance of preparing for the possibility of a lower cattle market. On this week's Cattle Chatter, Brad Kooima of Kooima Kooima Varilek breaks down what is now the ninth consecutive day of lower August live cattle futures and what the recent price action could mean for producers.

The cash cattle market and boxed beef values have both struggled, adding pressure to the futures market. Kooima also discusses Walmart's recent decision to roll back prices on select beef products and what that could signal about consumer demand and the broader beef market.

The conversation also examines the USDA's announcement of up to $500 million in meat processing assistance and what those investments could mean for long-term packing capacity and competition within the industry.

Finally, Kooima addresses one of the biggest questions facing the cattle business: Will the U.S. ever rebuild the national cattle herd to levels seen in previous years, or has the industry entered a new era of tighter supplies?

The USDA has announced up to $500 million in assistance for meat processors, a move aimed at expanding packing capacity and strengthening the nation's meat supply chain. On this week's Cattle Chatter, we break down what the investment could mean for the cattle market, both in the near term and for the industry's long-term infrastructure.

The cash cattle market started the week on softer footing, with Southern trade showing early signs of weakness. As the industry navigates historically tight cattle supplies, Brad Kooima of Kooima Kooima Varilek says producers need to remain disciplined in their marketing decisions. While fundamentals remain supportive, he notes that slowing beef demand and narrowing packer margins raise important questions about how long current market dynamics can be sustained.

Kooima also discusses the growing need for additional shackle space, with many in the industry suggesting reopening the border to cattle movements as one possible solution to processing capacity challenges.

The conversation wraps up with answers to several viewer questions, including the ongoing review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the new beef trimming contracts set to begin July 20, the estimated number of beef-on-dairy calves entering feedyards, and whether the industry could eventually see a branded beef program—similar to Certified Angus Beef—specifically for beef-on-dairy cattle.