Cattle Chatter

The week opened with cattle chasing headlines — from cattle-on-feed numbers to the confirmed case of a human infection with the New World screwworm. But those stories didn't hold market attention for long, as futures quickly turned back to the push for green. In this week's Cattle Chatter, Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek takes a closer look at the market, which has once again set new contract highs early on. The lingering question, however, is whether we could soon see stronger signs of pullback. Volatility and a lack of cash cattle movement have played a big role as the week has unfolded, and Brad reminds producers to remain cautious as they navigate this trade.

Even with volatility still hanging over the cattle trade, strength in the feeder cash market is stealing attention this week—even as supplies in the South remain tight. On this week's Cattle Chatter, Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek takes a close look at the waning August contracts and the ongoing struggles for Texas feedlots. With a new Cattle on Feed Report due out Friday, he shares his early expectations. Boxed beef continues to inject energy into the trade, but Brad also raises a yellow flag of caution when considering the bigger picture for the cattle markets.

The cattle market this past week has been marked by extreme volatility. Even with Nebraska cash prices up $4.00, packers appear to be hitting the pause button on bids. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is set to make a New World Screwworm announcement Friday in Austin, Texas—fueling speculation about whether new protocols are on the way. In the meantime, the slowdown in cattle movement from the border is putting added pressure on Texas feeder markets and raising questions about corn usage. And with the nation's beef herd at historically low levels, some are asking if beef-on-dairy production could be the market booster—or even the "golden ticket"—the industry has been looking for.

Boxed beef continues to build momentum, adding fuel to a cattle market that still leans on strong core fundamentals from the past year. But with that momentum comes questions—especially for hedgers. Just how much trouble are the shorts in?

On this week's Cattle Chatter, Brad Kooima with Kooima, Kooima, Varilek breaks down the liquidation pressure on short positions, interesting movement in the back months, and why leverage remains firmly on the producer's side. Is the long-awaited rally finally here? Could this be the start of a Labor Day push?

The cattle market kicked off the week facing month-end pressure, lingering uncertainty around Brazil tariffs, and the impact of widespread rains that are helping pasture conditions and encouraging more heifer and cow retention. Joining us this week is Joe Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek. Traders are still digesting last week's reports, which continue to shape early-week market tone. The bright spot? Cash trade is stronger once again—and beef consumption is up 4% year over year, a positive sign for long-term demand.

After posting record highs midweek, Thursday saw a market reset as boxed beef values moved sharply lower. On this week's Cattle Chatter, Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek talks about no sign of backpedaling on the looming Brazil tariff, and the trade is turning its focus to the upcoming July Cattle Inventory report—making its return after a year-long budget pause. This year's data will be compared to 2023 figures, adding extra weight to the numbers. Cash cattle are expected higher in the north and steady to lower in the south. Meanwhile, concerns ripple through the pork sector as an Iowa processing plant loses 200 workers due to revoked visas—raising red flags for beef processors as well.

Boxed beef prices have seen mixed to lower movement this week, keeping the market's attention. While consumers continue to show strong interest in high-quality beef, there's growing speculation about whether, as summer stretches on, shoppers will shift toward more affordable options like hamburger and hot dogs. On this week's Cattle Chatter, Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek discusses how the new Brazil tariff could impact ground beef prices. He also notes this week hasn't been a bear market, with higher cash trade continuing and plants preparing for downtime around July 18 as the industry looks to close out the month.

The cattle market took a sharp turn within just a few hours as the U.S. once again closed its border to cattle from Mexico following the detection of New World Screwworm in Veracruz—less than 400 miles from the border. Adding to the volatility, President Trump announced a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods, a move expected to impact the flow of ground beef into the U.S. On this week's Cattle Chatter, Brad Kooima of Kooima Kooima Varilek breaks down the shifting export-import dynamics, what the August 1 tariff deadline could mean, and why producers need to tread carefully in an environment where market news is constantly changing.

Cattle Market Faces Pressure from Lower Cash and Trade Flow Shifts

The Mexican border is set to reopen next week, raising key questions for the U.S. cattle market: Will we see an influx of slaughter-ready cattle? And what does that mean for trade dynamics going forward? On this week's Cattle Chatter, Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek breaks down the July and August cattle supply outlook and takes a closer look at current cattle weights—comparing Iowa's numbers to those in Kansas.

The struggle bus is rolling through the cattle markets this week as cash prices take a noticeable hit. On today's Cattle Chatter, Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek breaks down the recent setback in pricing and how plant issues in both Texas and Nebraska may be playing a role. He also weighs in on consumer demand—could pork be edging beef off the meat counter? Plus, a look at what the current cash basis is telling us about market direction.