Market Activity & Analysis

The Jacobsen Hide Index on Friday closed at $14.28 compared to $14.17 Friday the week prior. Big packer steer quotes included HNS from $23.50, BBS from $19.50 to $21.50, BS at $13, and CBS at $13 and HTS at $15 FOB plant. 

The Week’s Slaughter Forecast

The Jacobsen slaughter forecast for this week is 565,000 head, and if realized, will be 12,800 head less the same week last year when it was 577,800.

Cattle slaughter finished last week 680,000 head, up 1 percent from a year ago and down 4 percent relative to the week prior. Over the next six weeks, slaughter is forecast at an average of 642,500 head, up an average of 4 percent from the prior six weeks and up 1 percent compared to last year. 

Figure 1. 

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