Hide sellers reported minimal weekend activity in the US hide market. Buyers continue to complain about lacking leather orders but are interested in buying decent volume of raw material at an inconsistent basis. Overall economy is weak, but shoppers in the US continue to spend on goods and services. 

Several players in the industry remarked on the increasing amount of cheap hides being sent to landfill or gelatin producers. 

Cattle Slaughter Forecast

Cattle slaughter is forecast by The Jacobsen at 645,000 head this week, down 0.15 percent from last week but down 4.68 percent from last year. Cattle slaughter finished last week at an estimated 646,000 head, up 3.69 percent from the week prior and down 0.81 percent from last year. Over the next six weeks, slaughter is forecast at an average of 637,500 head per week, down 2.67 percent from the same time period in 2022 and down 0.42 percent from 2021.

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