E192: The Coin Flip of the April Cattle Markets

Reports earlier this month that dairy cattle have become infected with the strain of High-Path Avian Influenza, or HPAI, that has been affecting wild and domestic bird populations for more than two years rocked cattle markets and brought an air of pessimism to a beef sector that seemed to defy doubt. But with a recent report from USDA offering more hope that supplies are still limited and demand remains strong, it seems just as likely now that the unstoppable bullishness might well be back. 

DTN Livestock Analyst ShayLe Stewart joins us today to discuss the latest news for cattle markets as well as a few possibilities of where we might go from here. We’ll dig deep on the demand picture, understanding both the long-term planning of stockyards and buyers as well as the shorter term hunger for beef in the US and abroad. We’ll also touch on the herd size, slaughter pace and how producers might prepare to follow both the news and the markets in the weeks and months ahead.  

We’ll tackle all this, and hear the latest updates of ShayLe’s family bull sale and cattle operation.