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Feeder cattle prices swing as market fundamentals take a back seat

The owner of one of the largest sale barns in the country says there continues to be chaos in the cattle markets.

Jackie Moore with Joplin Regional Stockyards in Missouri says the market isn’t moving on fundamentals, and that’s frustrating. “They’ve left us in limbo out here hanging,” he says. “If you’re going to open the border, just open it. If you’re going to get Argentine beef or Brazil beef or whatever you’re going to do, just do it. I don’t have a problem with it, just get after it. But I can’t live through all these things that people want to talk about, and nothing happens.  It just keeps us in limbo where we don’t know what to do.” 

He tells Brownfield when buyers and sellers are nervous, it impacts business. “The whole cattle sector, it’s kind of at a loss for what to do because, nothing’s really happened,” he says. “And we’ve had all this news come out that they’re going to do this, and they’re going to do that. Nothing’s really happened, but it leaves everybody in limbo because they’ve taken $70.00 a hundred off the feeder cattle boards.” 

Moore says feeder cattle that were sold Monday at Joplin ranged from $10 lower to $10 higher. 

AUDIO: Jackie Moore, Joplin Regional Stockyards