Cattlenomics

For the week ending March 13, heifer carcass weights in Western Canada rose 21 pounds from the previous week to average 909 pounds. The Canadian national average was 904 pounds for the same week, 29 pounds above 2025 levels. 

Heifer slaughter during the week ending March 7th was 18.5% below last year and 21% below the 3-year average.

Over the last 6 months, placements into yards in Western Canada were down 3% from the year before. Heifer placements were down 19%, while steer placements were up 9%.

National heifer formula volumes have steadied near 67,000 head over the past month but still remain 15.5% (about 13,000 head) below last year.

The estimated cattle harvest volume this week was 525,000 compared to 521,000 the week before. Fed cattle slaughter through the first 10 weeks of the year was down by approximately 387,230 head, averaging 8% less per week than last year. During the last half of 2025, placements into feedyards were down 950,000 head from the year before, or the equivalent of 8% less.

US fed cattle harvest for the week ending February 28th totaled 424,888 head which is 7.5% below the same week last year and was 6,888 head higher than the preliminary estimate.

Imports from Argentina continue to trend well above historical levels, with the latest weekly estimates reporting new record high of 1,835 MT. 

This week's comprehensive beef cutout report showed a marginal increase in the combined volume of sales for delivery beyond 21-days and forward contracts. Historically, it is common to see large changes in those categories in the coming three to five weeks, often reaching annual highs for volume. Will sellers be in position to extend offers to meet the forward demand?

Formula weights in the Western Cornbelt increased 29 pounds from last week to 1,004 pounds, now 30 pounds higher than last year. 

The most recent Cattle on Feed report shows Nebraska inventory at 2.68 million head as of February 1. That’s 90,000 head more than a year ago and 110,000 head above the three-year average. 

Formula dressed weights in TX/OK/NM increased 17 pounds from the week prior for the week ending February 14th, now averaging 903 pounds, or 42 pounds heavier than last year. 

Caitlyn grew up in Central Texas surrounded by agriculture, where her passion for the cattle industry was developed through livestock judging and hands-on experience. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M University (WHOOP!), building a strong foundation in agricultural markets. She later completed her Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University, focusing her research on fed cattle basis risk under grid pricing and the role of carcass quality in market returns. By combining practical cattle knowledge with data-driven market analysis, Caitlyn is committed to helping producers and industry partners make informed decisions that enhance profitability and manage risk. #ASLSAggies #ksuagecon #cattle #cattleindustry #beefindustry

Combining the import and export estimates with the preliminary beef production figures for the last week of January suggests that beef availability dropped to ~515.3 million pounds, falling 8% below the 3-year average. 

 Formula dressed weights in Nebraska increased 13 pounds for the week ending January 25th, now averaging 1,007 pounds or 41 pounds higher than last year.

The Chuck complex saw prices increase nearly 2% last week, averaging $339.23. Prices were 15% above last year, and higher than all but 5 weeks during 2025. Meanwhile, the Rib complex realized marginal gains last week, averaging 1% below last year.

What an incredible turnout we had at yesterday's 2026 Cattle Market Update Webcast! Thank you to everyone that joined us and wrote in with great questions. We are looking forward to hosting more webcast updates in the future. If you did register, but were unable to attend, it will be on-demand through this Friday at 12pm MST. The link sent to you via email will access the webcast. Thanks, Your Cattlenomics Team

Only TWO DAYS LEFT until our 2026 Cattle Market Update Webcast 🐄📊 Reserve your spot now and join the Cattlenomics team for timely, data-driven insights on what’s ahead for the cattle markets. This is must-know information you won’t want to miss. 🗓 Tuesday, January 27, 2026 ⏰ 1:00PM - 2:00PM MST 💲Cost is $25 per person 🔗 Register here: cattlenomics.com/webcast-regist… From Trends to Action: Using Data-Based Insights to Navigate the 2026 Cattle Market Webcast brings together the Cattlenomics team for a practical, data-driven look at what lies ahead for the cattle markets. This session will break down the latest 2026 cattle supply and inventory trends, including cattle on feed, slaughter and weights, slaughter capacity, heifer retention, market-ready supply, and feeder imports, along with a focused update on beef demand, production, imports, and exports. The presentation will connect market fundamentals to price and risk management strategies. Designed for producers and industry professionals, this talk moves beyond trends to actionable insights you can apply to your operation.

This week's beef import report showed significant increases from South American countries. Imports from Brazil jumped to 8,180 MT, up 47% from last year, while volume from Uruguay totaled 4,297 MT, more than 3-times last year.

The latest cattle on feed data showed there were 11.45 million head as of January 1st, which was 3.2% below last year, or roughly 373,000 head less.