BEEF Banter

Cattle prices are ripping higher, and the numbers are hard to ignore: fed cattle clawed back to roughly the $260 level, feeders are running well ahead of last year, and choice cutout has moved above $400. We talk through what those signals actually mean for producers on the ground, including why a strong market can still be fragile when expectations get too comfortable. Our big message is simple:...

Record cattle prices sound like nothing but good news, until you look at the risks stacked behind them. We’re Sarah Muirhead, Clint Peck, and Nevil Speer, and we open with a clear-eyed cattle market update: fed cattle trade at record levels, feeder cattle values that reflect intense beef demand, and the uncomfortable truth that big numbers make risk management more important, not less. From there,...

Fed cattle flirting with $250. Feeder steers bringing numbers that make you blink twice. Bottle calves selling for more than they “should.” When prices get this strong, it’s easy to celebrate and just as easy to forget how much equity is suddenly sitting out there exposed.  In this episode, BEEF Banter hosts Sarah Muirhead, Clint Peck and Nevil Speer talk through what they are hearing in the cattl...

Record highs feel great—until you realize how much equity is on the line. In this episode, we connect the dots between oil prices, consumer sentiment, and what actually moves steak and burger demand when gas stations turn into psychological tripwires. The picture that emerges isn’t simple, but it’s clear: demand has been carefully built over decades, and it’s paying off right now. We also take on...

The buzz on the CattleCon 2026 floor was loud, but the signal clear: beef demand is surging, supplies are tight, and discipline—not euphoria—is what will secure the next leg of growth. We unpack why fed cattle are pressing back toward highs after a rough fall and how consumers keep trading up for better beef even as prices climb. The throughline is quality: decades of work in genetics, handling, a...

Prices are rising, volumes are steady, and the message is unmistakable: beef demand is doing the heavy lifting. We open the new year by breaking down why fed cattle values remain strong even as carcass weights keep output near recent norms, what a potential 2027 peak could look like, and how heifer retention decisions may tighten supplies sooner than many expect. Rather than chase headlines or rea...

A sharp market slide can rattle confidence; a quick rebound tells a different story. We open with a clear-eyed look at fed and feeder cattle recovering into year-end, then zoom out to the production data that matters: billions of pounds moving through a system powered by strong consumer demand. Prices are firm not because shelves are empty, but because the eating experience keeps earning its premi...

Strong demand, softer futures, and a seasonal calf run—this week we untangle what’s signal and what’s noise across the beef supply chain. Sarah Muirhead sits down with BEEF contributors Clint Peck and Nevil Speer to map out where cash cattle and feeders actually stand, why corn’s recent firming matters for feedyard margins, and how to use futures or LRP to define downside while preserving upside w...

A single hint of “we’re working a deal” sent futures skidding and producers asking what comes next. We pull back the curtain on why vague policy signals spark outsized volatility, what inflation-adjusted prices actually show about beef affordability, and how strong consumer demand continues to drive both retail aisles and restaurant menus. The headline might be “beef is too expensive,” but the und...

America's beef industry continues to ride an extraordinary wave of prosperity, marking 238 consecutive weeks of better prices year-over-year since March 2021. Fed cattle prices hover around $240, while feeder cattle values have skyrocketed to approximately $360 per hundredweight—representing a staggering $1,000 more per head than just twelve months ago. This price explosion has dramatically i...

Beef markets are soaring to unprecedented heights. The choice cutout recently closed above $400 - a genuine milestone that marks the first time we've crossed this threshold outside of COVID-19's chaotic market disruptions. This remarkable achievement isn't just a number; it's a testament to unwavering consumer demand for beef despite premium prices. With fed steers averaging ne...

A remarkable resilience characterizes today's beef market, with fed cattle trading around $235 and calves selling at unprecedented prices approaching $2,200 per head.  Behind these impressive numbers lies a fundamental story of demand rather than mere consumption. The beef industry has successfully expanded the entire economic pie through unwavering focus on consumer preferences and quality c...

Record-breaking prices continue to define the beef market landscape as producers and industry insiders navigate unprecedented territory. The latest fed cattle average hit $235/cwt—a figure never before seen in the industry and running $40 ahead of last year's already strong prices. Despite this remarkable rally, fed beef production through May reached 9.2 billion pounds, the fourth highest on...

The cattle market is shattering records with prices around $230 - nearly $40 better than last year - despite increased production volumes. This unprecedented four-year bull run has veterans of the industry struggling to find historical comparisons, with the market staying above year-ago levels for 216 out of 220 consecutive weeks. Choice cutouts recently hit $360, a figure only surpassed during br...

The cattle markets show remarkable resilience despite significant international trade challenges, according to BEEF's Clint Peck and Nevil Speer in our inaugural Beef Banter podcast. Fed cattle continue trading steadily around $211-$212 even as exports to China have disappeared – a loss representing approximately $60 per head compared to last year. As Speer notes, "This is not grandpa&ap...