DAILY CATTLE MARKET BRIEFING
December 2, 2025
1. MARKET SENTIMENT: Moderately Bearish (4/10)
- Cash cattle markets showing weakness with southern trade at $220 vs $208-210 in northern regions
- Futures markets under pressure with continued volatility
- Tyson plant closure announcement adding uncertainty for 2026
2. KEY PRICE TRENDS:
- Live Cattle futures down $1.37-2.00 across contracts
- Feeder Cattle futures down $1.77-2.90
- Choice boxed beef cutout at $368.89, up $2.07
- Cash fed cattle trade $208-220, with $10 north-south price spread
3. TOP 3 NEW DEVELOPMENTS:
- Tyson announces closure of Lexington and Amarillo beef plants, signaling industry capacity rationalization
- Australian feedlot capacity expanding to record 1.6M head, positioning to capture Asian market share
- Mexico facing extended disruption to US cattle exports due to screwworm outbreak through H1 2026
4. OUTLOOK:
Ranchers should prepare for continued market pressure into early 2026:
- Processing capacity reduction from Tyson closures will impact fed cattle marketing options
- Growing competition from Australian grain-fed beef in key Asian markets
- Smaller US herd size continues supporting longer-term prices despite near-term challenges
- Focus on quality grade remains critical with 85.2% of cattle grading Choice or higher
The market is working through significant structural changes as processing capacity adjusts to cattle supplies while global competition intensifies. Strategic marketing and risk management will be increasingly important through this transition period.
December 2, 2025
1. MARKET SENTIMENT: Moderately Bearish (4/10)
- Cash cattle markets showing weakness with southern trade at $220 vs $208-210 in northern regions
- Futures markets under pressure with continued volatility
- Tyson plant closure announcement adding uncertainty for 2026
2. KEY PRICE TRENDS:
- Live Cattle futures down $1.37-2.00 across contracts
- Feeder Cattle futures down $1.77-2.90
- Choice boxed beef cutout at $368.89, up $2.07
- Cash fed cattle trade $208-220, with $10 north-south price spread
3. TOP 3 NEW DEVELOPMENTS:
- Tyson announces closure of Lexington and Amarillo beef plants, signaling industry capacity rationalization
- Australian feedlot capacity expanding to record 1.6M head, positioning to capture Asian market share
- Mexico facing extended disruption to US cattle exports due to screwworm outbreak through H1 2026
4. OUTLOOK:
Ranchers should prepare for continued market pressure into early 2026:
- Processing capacity reduction from Tyson closures will impact fed cattle marketing options
- Growing competition from Australian grain-fed beef in key Asian markets
- Smaller US herd size continues supporting longer-term prices despite near-term challenges
- Focus on quality grade remains critical with 85.2% of cattle grading Choice or higher
The market is working through significant structural changes as processing capacity adjusts to cattle supplies while global competition intensifies. Strategic marketing and risk management will be increasingly important through this transition period.
For more detailed information or specific market data, please contact your local extension office or market analyst.