January 9, 2012 â The week of December 19th ... - Feedlot Magazine
January 9, 2012 – The week of December 19th saw federally
inspected cattle harvest much lower ahead of the Christmas holiday
with a total of 597,042 head. This was 9.6% larger than the same
week a year ago, but affected by the day of the week that the holiday
fell on in 2010. Fed cattle were a larger portion of the total mix, as
they made up 75.5% of the harvest, half a point more than the prior
week. Steer carcasses were 3 lb. heavier to average 849 lb., while
those from heifers remained unchanged at 785 lb. on average. The
steer-to-heifer ratio has been erratic as of late in fed-cattle numbers,
with steers jumping from the last report’s 61.6% of fed cattle up to
64.2%.
Packers have been gradually relieved over the past three weeks
as Choice quality grade figures moved up slowly after a dismal
performance in late November. Thanksgiving week’s seasonal low
share of 58.35% Choice was a base for an upswing to the current
report’s 60.71%. On a regional basis, Nebraska packers are seeing
improved quality grades, but still below 2010 figures for the same
period, their 66.5% Choice dulled in comparison to the 2010 figure of
70%. Of the “big three” packing states, only Texas is outperforming
2010 patterns, but even its 49.94% Choice is just fractions of a point
higher than the same week a year earlier.
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