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“He who marvels at the beauty of the world in summer
will find equal cause for wonder and admiration in winter.”
— John Burroughs
WEDNESDAY WIRE
MARKET REPORT
WEATHER 20/20 REPORT
AGRICULTURE
SHRINKING OVERSIGHT FUELS GRAZING DAMAGE
WINDROW GRAZING LOWERS WINTER COSTS
TURNING WASTEWATER INTO RESOURCE
FINANCE
DAILY REPORTING
MARKETS BRACE FOR WASDE
LABOR MARKET SIGNALS SOFTENING
STOCKS RISE AHEAD FED DECISION
We have parts of Central and South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia to thank for our daily supply of go juice. Their warm temperatures, consistent rainfall, rich soils, and high elevations provide coffee plants with everything they need to thrive. Each area within the “coffee belt” produces beans with distinct flavor profiles, too! From bright and fruity coffees of East Africa to nutty, chocolatey varieties of Latin America. ☕🌎 Join the conversation - comment online!
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P.S. - Have a chart or trend you think should be featured in next week’s Wednesday Wire? DM us on Instagram @cattleusa.media with your submission! |
Close
344.5
Previous
343.06
Change
1.44 ▲
Tuesday, December 09
AUCTION SUMMARY
Joplin Regional Stockyards
13,166 Carthage, MO
Monday
| Feeder Steers - Medium & Large #1 | Feeder Heifers - Medium & Large #1 | ||
| 500-600 lbs | 395.00-490.00 | 400-500 lbs | 380.00-450.00 |
| 600-700 lbs | 352.00-435.00 | 500-600 lbs | 335.00-415.00 |
| 700-800 lbs | 335.00-378.00 | 600-700 lbs | 337.00-365.00 |
| 800-900 lbs | 321.00-350.00 | 700-800 lbs | 312.00-345.00 |
| 900-1000 lbs | 311.50-330.25 | 800-900 lbs | 297.00-321.00 |
Oklahoma National Stockyards
7,419 Oklahoma City, OK
Monday
| Feeder Steers - Medium & Large #1 | Feeder Heifers - Medium & Large #1 | ||
| 400-500 lbs | 490.00-590.00 | 400-500 lbs | 437.50-500.00 |
| 500-600 lbs | 425.00-495.00 | 500-600 lbs | 371.00-440.00 |
| 600-700 lbs | 364.00-415.00 | 600-700 lbs | 321.00-380.00 |
| 700-800 lbs | 334.00-367.00 | 700-800 lbs | 309.00-335.00 |
| 800-900 lbs | 320.00-342.50 | 800-900 lbs | 307.00-314.50 |
Souix Falls Regional
5,232 Worthing, SD
Monday
| Feeder Steers - Medium & Large #1 | Feeder Heifers - Medium & Large #1 | ||
| 500-600 lbs | 402.50-495.00 | 500-600 lbs | 365.00-465.00 |
| 600-700 lbs | 372.00-447.50 | 600-700 lbs | 338.00-425.00 |
| 700-800 lbs | 337.50-407.50 | 700-800 lbs | 321.00-375.00 |
| 800-900 lbs | 305.00-358.00 | 800-900 lbs | 312.00-334.00 |
| 900-1000 lbs | 314.00-337.50 | 900-1000 lbs | 283.00-317.00 |
CHICAGO MERCANTILE EXCHANGE LIVESTOCK FUTURES SETTLEMENT
Tuesday
| Live Cattle | Change | Feeder Cattle | Change | ||
| Dec | 226.825 | 0.500 ▼ | Jan | 335.500 | 0.150 ▼ |
| Feb | 226.950 | 0.275 ▲ | Mar | 330.150 | 0.275 ▼ |
| Apr | 226.900 | 0.200 ▲ | Apr | 329.475 | 0.250 ▼ |
CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE GRAIN FUTURES SETTLEMENTS
Tuesday
| Corn | Change | Soy Beans | Change | ||
| Dec | 4.4075 | 0.0450 ▲ | Jan | 10.8725 | 0.0650 ▼ |
| Mar | 4.4800 | 0.0425 ▲ | Mar | 10.9825 | 0.0750 ▼ |
| May | 4.5550 | 0.0425 ▲ | May | 11.0875 | 0.0800 ▼ |
KANSAS CITY BOARD OF TRADE
Tuesday
| Wheat | Change | ||||
| Dec | 5.2025 | 0.0075 ▼ | |||
| Mar | 5.2700 | 0.0050 ▲ | |||
| May | 5.3850 | 0.0050 ▲ | |||
ESTIMATED DAILY CATTLE SLAUGHTER
| Tuesday | 123,000 | Monday |
| Week Ago (est) | 122,000 | Steer & Heifer: 98,000 |
| Year Ago (act) | 119,000 | Cow & Bull: 17,000 |
| Wk To Date (est) | 238,000 | |
| Last Week (est) | 237,000 | |
| Last Year (est) | 238,000 |
Tuesday, December 09
5 AREA WEEKLY ACCUMULATED WEIGHTED AVG CATTLE PRICE
| As of 10:00 am | Head Count | Avg Weight | Avg Price |
| Live Steer | 35 | 1,340 | 222.00 |
| Live Heifer | - | - | - |
| Dressed Steer | - | - | - |
| Dressed Heifer | - | - | - |
DAILY ESTIMATED CUTOUT VALUES
| 600-900# | Choice | Select | Choice/Select Spread |
| Current Cutout Values: | 361.04 | 348.03 | 13.01 |
| Change from prior day: | +0.14 ▲ | -0.57 ▼ |
DAILY CATTLE SLAUGHTER
| Tuesday | 123,000 | Monday |
| Week Ago | 122,000 | Steer & Heifer: 98,000 |
| Year Ago (act) | 119,415 | Cow & Bull: 17,000 |
| Week To Date | 238,000 | |
| Same Period Last Week | 237,000 | |
| Same Period Last Year | 238,191 |
Tuesday, December 09
CattleUSA Insurance Partner Logic Ag Marketing Commentary
Good afternoon,
I’ve always been more of a glass‑half‑full kind of guy—and I’ve even been known to drink a few half beers in my lifetime. Turns out it doesn’t really matter if you drink eight half beers or four full ones; the math still catches up with you. It made perfect sense in my head…until it didn’t. I digress.
On the “glass half full” side, the setup for cattle still has some clear positives: we’re working with the smallest U.S. cattle herd, beef demand at the counter remains strong heading into the holiday season, cash live cattle prices are solid, a probable interest rate cut is on deck this week, the stock market is back near the highs, and colder weather is arriving.
On the “glass half empty” side, there are some real headwinds: Dan is back from vacation (kidding…mostly), we still don’t have a firm border reopening plan, new screw worm treatments are hitting the market, any interest rate cut comes against a backdrop of heavy overall debt, key government reports (GDP, CPI, jobs, inflation) are not being released—which is a concerning practice—and we’re staring at the likelihood of greater imports ahead.
Hogs, meanwhile, feel stuck in neutral. I’d like to see February lean hogs push through the 100‑day moving average at $85.44. If we can get summer hogs to break above $100, I’ll be looking to start layering in some protection on those rallies and any rallies in the cattle markets.
Have a great night.
-Fat cattle kill at 123,000 vs 122,000 a week ago and 119,000 a year ago
-Choice boxes up .14 to $361.04 and select down .57 to $348.03 for a spread of 13.01 on 140 loads
-CME feeder index for 12/8 came in at $344.50
-LRP’s ending last week settled at $221.06
-Hog kill at 493,000 vs 489,000 a week ago and 486,000 a year ago.
-Afternoon Pork reported up .93 at $96.44 on 306 loads
-CME lean hog index on 12/05 reported at 81.84
-CME pork cutout index on 12/8 reported at 94.73
-LRP’s ending 12/9 settled at $81.88
Click here to connect with a CattleUSA Insurance representative
Trading futures and options involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Review our full disclaimer at https://www.logicag.com/disclaimer
INTERNATIONAL PRECIPITATION NEXT 15 DAYS
• Australia - Trace-0.50” west | 0.25”-1” for NSW
• Canada - 0.10-1”
• China - Trace-0.50”
• Europe - Trace-0.50” for all locations
• Russia (pictured below) - 0.10”-0.80” is possible southeast of the Sea of Azov | 0.50”-2” is possible in the rest of the North Caucasus region | The Central/Volga region will see 0.50”-1.50”
CattleUSA has teamed up with Weather 20/20 to bring you exclusive access to long-range weather forecasts using their patent-pending LRC methodology. Plan ahead with confidence and stay ahead of the weather—now at a special discounted rate for CattleUSA users!
Shrinking Oversight Fuels Grazing Damage
Federal understaffing and a 2014 law allowing automatic permit renewals have sharply reduced environmental reviews on Western grazing lands. As oversight wanes, degraded streams, invasive plants and overgrazing persist. Critics warn the “loophole” locks in harm for a decade, while ranchers and agencies debate flexibility versus accountability. read more here
Windrow Grazing Lowers Winter Costs
Nebraska cattle producer Myra Hipke uses windrow grazing sorghum-sudangrass to cut labor, fuel, and baling costs while returning nutrients to sandy soils. By planting late, sizing paddocks to forage yield, and using polywire breaks, she feeds dry cows for about 30 days. Despite weather challenges, the system is reliable, economical, and worth trying. read more here
Turning Wastewater Into Resource
Kansas State University researchers are developing an anaerobic membrane bioreactor that cleans livestock wastewater for reuse while capturing nutrients and generating biogas. The $6 million project aims to cut freshwater use, boost on-farm efficiency and protect the Ogallala Aquifer by making sustainable technology economically attractive for producers. read more here
Tuesday, December 09
| MARKETS | PRICE | CHANGE | PERCENT |
| DOW | 47,560.29 | - 179.03 | 0.38% ▼ |
| S&P 500 | 6,840.51 | - 6.00 | 0.09% ▼ |
| NASDAQ | 23,576.49 | + 30.58 | 0.13% ▲ |
| Russell 2000 | 2,526.24 | + 5.26 | 0.21% ▲ |
| Gold | 4,238.80 | + 21.10 | 0.50% ▲ |
| Silver | 61.20 | + 2.79 | 4.78% ▲ |
| Bitcoin | 92,961.00 | + 2,357.00 | 2.60% ▲ |
| Crude Oil | 58.38 | - 0.50 | 0.85% ▼ |
Markets Brace For WASDE
Grains traded mixed ahead of the December WASDE as soybeans and soymeal stayed under pressure, wheat drifted mostly lower and corn held near steady. Traders expect no production changes but are watching export revisions. Livestock futures were mostly lower, with cattle struggling against chart resistance and cash trade still undeveloped. read more here
Labor Market Signals Softening
Job openings rose in September and October, driven mainly by small firms and seasonal hiring, but underlying momentum remains weak. The quit rate fell to its lowest since 2020, showing workers feel less confident. Rising layoffs and easing wage pressure point to a cooling labor market and support expectations for Fed rate cuts. read more here
Stocks Rise Ahead Fed Decision
US stocks moved higher Tuesday as the Fed’s meeting began and job openings unexpectedly rose despite higher layoffs. Markets widely expect another quarter-point rate cut, though future easing is less certain. Treasury yields climbed, Nvidia slipped on China chip news, and investors await earnings from major tech and retail names. read more here
CattleUSA Daily Podcast:
Sometimes to appreciate the beauty of a snowflake
you have to go out into the cold ❄️
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