The big news on the livestock side of today’s WASDE was USDA’s reduction in the fed cattle price forecast.
Prices for 2024 were trimmed by $3/cwt and USDA dropped its forecast for 2025 annual average prices by $5/cwt from $191/cwt last month to $186 this month. The supply and demand situation hasn’t changed significantly, but prices have been bearish. Last week was the first time since the first week of March 2023 (when prices exceeded those from the same week in 2015) that cattle prices fell below the previous weekly record.
The forecast for beef production was increased. The WASDE cited higher cow slaughter and heavier cattle weights in the second half of the year. Slaughter weights are up about 30 pounds from last...
The magpie goose (Anseranas semipalmata) is the sole living representative species of the family Anseranatidae. This waterbird is found in northern Australia and southern New Guinea.[2] The species is not truly migratory but it sometimes travels large distances to find food and water, especiall...
The common ostrich (Struthio camelus), or simply ostrich, is a species of flightless bird native to certain areas of Africa (and historically, Arabia) and is the largest living species of bird. The common ostrich is one of two extant species of ostriches, the only living members of the genus St...
A pika (/ˈpaɪkə, ˈpiːkə/ PY-kə, PEE-kə[3][4]) is a small, mountain-dwelling mammal native to Asia and North America. With short limbs, a very round body, an even coat of fur, and no external tail, they resemble their close relative the rabbit, but with short, rounded ears.[5] The large-eared pi...
Lobelia (/loʊˈbiːliə, lə-/[4][5][6]) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae comprising 415 species,[7] with a subcosmopolitan distribution primarily in tropical to warm temperate regions of the world, a few species extending into cooler temperate regions.[8] They are known g...