Beef Market Update - A Complicated Market & A Potentially Ugly Summer

[shaney]

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[kato]

Good point about the Americans owing us a thank you note. I'd add.. flowers, candies, a trip to Disneyland, and a new truck to that.

[grassfarmer]

Funny thing about that Kato is doesn't seem to be
how many of them view it. I got in a spat with a
bunch of R-CALF founders on another site who were
quickly joined by all the other Americans. They
couldn't care less about the financial strain it caused
Canadian producers they think they were hit really,
really badly by BSE and it was all Canada's fault. They
don't seem to recognize that after some early losses
(small compared to those endured in Canada) they
went on to have the hottest cattle market they had
ever known while we suffered for several more years.
Disappointing, but there seems no real recognition of
the relative disparity of our fortunes over BSE by the
US producers.

[ASRG]

Usually people will protect their own interests and have little concern for the "other guy"? I think that is just human nature.....probably one of our most undesirable traits!
If I was raising cattle in the USA I'd probably be an R-calfer! Keep imports out to keep my own prices up? Encourage the government to bully other countries into accepting my product?
I have come to the firm belief that the world of beef is changing? I don't think we can keep doing the huge feedlot, massive packing plant thing forever.
I think we will need to go back to a grass fed product and I firmly believe the so called "superior" cattle of today will not fill that market.

I have a relatively close neighbor who is raising Galloways. They aren't huge but they sure are "chunky". The calves look like little butterballs in the fall. I suspect they would have a pretty good carcass, finished on grass. I really wonder why we need an 850 lb. hanging weight (and animals that will finish at that weight)?

[ALLFARMER]

Feeder chart is looking very good these days. I
bounce down over the USA bse case and right
back up now to great gains.

[perfecho]

The 1500lb steer is a product of optimum efficiencies in the packing plant. At one time I thought a case for smaller framed cattle was viable; however that now seems to be great for the local market, not the commodity market. The huge packers of the world now grind and make steak any size you want......when was the last time you got a bone at a steak house?