Higher Weekly Dairy Cow Slaughter
US - Dairy cow slaughter for the week ending Mar. 31 totaled 63,100 head, up 1,600 head vs. the prior week and 12.5 per cent (+7,000 head) greater than the same period last year (see chart). That is the highest year-over-year percentage gain in weekly dairy cow slaughter for 2012, writes Mary Ledman, Sara Dorland, Sarina Sharp and Karen Endres on April 13 2012.
16 April 2012
2 minute read
Dairy cow slaughter
is expected to trend higher according to
Daily Dairy Report analysts, as mailbox
milk prices are forecast to decrease in
April and May 2012 vs. the prior month.
What is less certain is whether higher
slaughter rates will result in a reduction
in the U.S. dairy herd, which is currently
87,000 head, or 0.9 per cent more than last
year.
Dairy product prices in Europe
and Oceania are trending lower
according to USDA’s Dairy Market
News. European SMP prices range
from $2,575/MT to $2,775/MT. That
is approximately $1.17/lb. to $1.26/lb. and are similar to US domestic NDM/
SMP prices. Oceania SMP prices are
reportedly unsettled with a weak market
undertone. Nevertheless, Ocean SMP
prices range from $3,000/MT to $3,300/
MT. This indicates that NDM/SMP
sourced from the US or Europe is
more competitive in the global market
than Oceania SMP.
The CME spot Cheddar barrel
cheese price rebounded 5.25¢ in an
active trading session today. Five loads of barrel cheese exchanged hands
while the block market was quiet with
no bids, offers or trades. The CME
spot butter market settled unchanged
at $1.4250/lb. with a single underthe-
market bid at $1.4200/lb. left on
the board. CME Grade A and Extra
Grade NDM prices fell for the second
consecutive day closing at $1.1925/lb.
and $1.1825/lb., respectively on offers.
Nearby Class III and cheese futures
posted strong gains after the spot
trading sessions and closed higher
while Class IV and NDM futures closed
lower.
TheMeatSite News Desk
