The calendar reminds us that we are well into the new year of 2016- and OSU Extension Livestock Market Economist Dr. Derrell Peel says that 2016 will look quite a bit different than the wild market ride that 2015 took cattle producers on. In today's Beef Buzz, Dr. Peel tells Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays that the hard adjustment down in cattle prices seen in the second half of 2015 will likely not be repeated in 2016, although we could see markets slide somewhat lower, depending on overall meat protein supplies of beef, pork and poultry.
Peel expects cattle prices to not be a lot different at the end of 2016, compared to the prices seen in the first few weeks of the year. He does anticipate that domestic beef supplies will see growth compared to a year ago, while pork and poultry supplies may end up going sideways much of this calendar year.
One of the keys to keeping overall meat supplies manageable in 2016 will be stabilizing exports this year- and point towards 2017 for some export growth of both beef and pork.
Here in Oklahoma- a very pleasant surprise has been the amount and condition of winter wheat pasture available to stocker cattle producers.
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