Profit Tracker: Profitability streak ends

Cattle feeders lost an average of $13 per head last week, breaking a string of 46 consecutive weeks of profitability dating back to November of last year. Last week 5-area Choice steers saw a modest gain of $1.25 per cwt., but costs against those steers marketed last week increased $57 per head, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker, reports Greg Henderson with Drovers CattleNetwork. Beef packers, already with strong margins, saw their profits increase $7 per head to $186. Last week’s beef cutout price was $196, up $1.05 per cwt. from the previous week. Read more…