Marketing 2009 calves: Part I

摘要

In previous columns, we've discussed producers' preparation of cost-and-return projections for 2009 calves. This month, we'll develop a set of planning prices for use by a rancher in evaluating marketing alternatives for 2009 calves. The best and mostreadily available predictor of prices is the futures market for live cattle going into 2010. The closing live-cattle futures prices for April 29, 2009, suggests a gradual increase in live-cattle prices as we progress into 2010 (Figure 1), with April 2010 projected to be the next slaughter-cattle price peak - a typical seasonal price pattern. However, relatively few ranchers are part of an April harvest-time system. The challenge to ranchers is to be part of a production system that harvests slaughter cattle in April.