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LIVE CATTLE FUTURES INFORMATION

Futures are traded on two types of Cattle: Live and Feeder.  Feeder Cattle are younger, lighter Cattle (weighing between 600 and 800 lbs) which will be “placed” on feedlots.  For the next 3 to 6 months, the Feeders are fattened up to “Live” weight.  Live Cattle are slaughter weight (900 to 1,400 lbs) animals ready to be processed into various cuts of beef. 

Cattle On Feed: Inventory by Month and Year, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, US Cattle On Feed: Marketings by Month and Year, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, US
Cattle On Feed: Placements by Month and Year, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, US Cattle: Inventory on January 1 by Year, US

Most calves are born in the spring, when weather is mild and grass is plentiful.  Usually by summer, they are ready for feedlot placement.  As Feedlots have limited space, they tend to increase sales (marketings) in anticipation of new placements.  Thus the influx of new cattle onto feedlots and the sales of fattened (Live) cattle tends to influence prices.

* Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.  See disclaimer below for further details.

Cattle slaughter tends to increase from February to August and decrease September through January.  Placements on the other hand, tend to increase and decrease in November and December with the rest of the year generally at a flat level.  As such, month when slaughter rates are low and placements are as well – like January and February – tend towards strength, especially considering transportation is difficult.  Spring and summer tend towards increasing slaughter, and normal placements which pressure prices.  However, July stands out as the market anticipates decreasing slaughter rates at a time when retail beef demand is high (the height of the BBQ season).

Decreasing slaughter rates and increasing placements works to support prices in the fall and winter as a lack of available supply supports prices. 

 

Sponsored By:

Commodity Trader's Almanac 2008
Scott W. Barrie
Best Price $26.37
or Buy New $26.37

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE DATA CONTAINED HERE IN ARE BELIEVED TO BE RELIABLE BUT CANNOT BE GUARANTEED AS TO RELIABILITY, ACCURACY, OR COMPLETENESS; AND, AS SUCH ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.  CFEA WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING, WHICH MAY RESULT FROM RELIANCE ON THIS DATA OR THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED HERE IN.

DISCLOSURE OF RISK: THE RISK OF LOSS IN TRADING FUTURES AND OPTIONS CAN BE SUBSTANTIAL; THEREFORE, ONLY GENUINE RISK FUNDS SHOULD BE USED. FUTURES AND OPTIONS MAY NOT BE SUITABLE INVESTMENTS FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS, AND INDIVIDUALS SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER THEIR FINANCIAL CONDITION IN DECIDING WHETHER TO TRADE. OPTION TRADERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE EXERCISE OF A LONG OPTION WOULD RESULT IN A FUTURES POSITION.

HYPOTHETICAL PERFORMANCE RESULTS HAVE MANY INHERENT LIMITATIONS, SOME OF WHICH ARE DESCRIBED BELOW. 

NO REPRESENTATION IS BEING MADE THAT ANY ACCOUNT WILL, OR IS LIKELY TO, ACHIEVE PROFITS OR LOSSES SIMILAR TO THOSE SHOWN. IN FACT, THERE ARE FREQUENTLY SHARP DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HYPOTHETICAL PERFORMANCE RESULTS AND THE ACTUAL RESULTS SUBSEQUENTLY ACHIEVED BY ANY PARTICULAR TRADING PROGRAM. 

ONE OF THE LIMITATIONS OF HYPOTHETICAL PERFORMANCE RESULTS IS THAT THEY ARE GENERALLY PREPARED WITH THE BENEFIT OF HINDSIGHT. IN ADDITION, HYPOTHETICAL TRADING DOES NOT INVOLVE FINANCIAL RISK, AND NO HYPOTHETICAL TRADING RECORD CAN COMPLETELY ACCOUNT FOR THE IMPACT OF FINANCIAL RISK IN ACTUAL TRADING. FOR EXAMPLE, THE ABILITY TO WITHSTAND LOSSES OR TO ADHERE TO A PARTICULAR TRADING PROGRAM, IN SPITE OF TRADING LOSSES, ARE MATERIAL POINTS WHICH CAN ALSO ADVERSELY AFFECT ACTUAL TRADING RESULTS. THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER FACTORS RELATED TO THE MARKETS, IN GENERAL, OR TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ANY SPECIFIC TRADING PROGRAM WHICH CANNOT BE FULLY ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE PREPARATION OF HYPOTHETICAL PERFORMANCE RESULTS AND ALL OF WHICH CAN ADVERSELY AFFECT ACTUAL TRADING RESULTS.