Market Activity

Trading was done in a wide range out of the Panhandle, $330 – 355 for ruminant MBM. The bulk of trading was done at $350 FOB. Trading elsewhere was quiet as buyers and sellers negotiate the bean meal/MBM spread and next week’s short kill week. Cattle slaughter in August was off sharply with the USDA estimated kills coming in just shy of 2.3 million head for the month. That figure is a 500,000 decrease from last August or an 18% drop.

Figure 1.