KC Sheperd, Farm Director, is back talking with Bob Rodenberger, a partner with Stockman Oklahoma Livestock Marketing, as he gives the latest on the cattle markets.
“The markets continue to stay good, and we continue to inch higher in the feeder market,” Rodenberger said. “There are no problems with our feeder market or our stocker market or killing cow market. The fat market has continued to stay pretty progressive. The livestock market is good.”
Runs this week were down compared to a year ago, Rodenberger said, ranging from 25 percent decreases to 50 percent decreases.
“I don’t know if you would contribute that to the weather or that everybody has got rain, and they are going ahead and holding cattle,” Rodenberger said. “In general, we are still down, I am going to say, probably 25 percent of our normal runs.”
Around September and October, Rodenberger expects runs to pick up the pace as producers start selling their spring calves.
“Normally, we are selling our fall-born calves in July and August,” Rodenberger said. “I think we have already moved all those. I think we moved a lot of those in May and June because the market was so good.”
Rodenberger said he has not seen a lot of heifer retention.
“Maybe ten percent of our producers are holding,” Rodenberger said.
