Varileks Cattle Call  
12 - 12 - 25

Cash is king. It still feels great to have that story back. We are seeing strong sales in the barns and country. It is a true reminder of the tight supplies we have in the United States.

Feeder calf trade was the first boost we saw after the negative stories corrected the cattle futures from record highs. Once the water calmed, it was off to the races again. It felt like more than year end spending, but yes, some could have been that.

Live cattle finished the week with a cherry on top. Cash started to rally on Wednesday night and traded $230 in the north and south Thursday. A regional started the push and the majors followed quickly after. It was good to see many packers participating. We have seen these pushes while they make a big inventory grab so they can try lay low for a few weeks after. Cash tends to be slower in the week following, but producers will look to ask higher next week.

Boxes are not trading as stellar as this spring and summer. There can be a seasonal push before the holidays, but we are still waiting to see that happen. It could be softer demand or just packers and retailers scared to move it higher with political pressure of higher beef prices. I believe demand is still strong, but consumers are facing higher prices across the board. Maybe their pockets are not as deep as some think. After all, Christmas season happens to drain mine a little more than I like. Have a good week.

Kooima Kooima Varilek Trading


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