Brett Wessler  |   December 28, 2011

A survey of cattle-industry leaders expect the cash cattle market to decrease after surging ahead in the week prior to Christmas. A survey of industry professionals predicts cash cattle to decrease by $1.78 to $122.82 per cwt.

The Monday Market Sentiment is a forecast of the upcoming weekly cash trade (5-Area weighted average price) prices reported by the USDA. Cash cattle prices improved for the first time this month and exceeded our cattle industry experts’ predictions by gaining $5.71 to $124.60. The 5-Area price is at its highest point this year.

Even with the high cash trade, feedlots still lost an average of $20 per head last week according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker. Cash trade is $20.70 above last year’s prices.

Each week the Cattle Trader Center, on behalf of Vance Publishing, awards a $100 gift certificate from Cabela's to the industry leader whose forecast comes closest to the 5-Area cash trade number reported by the USDA. The most recent winner was Scott Keeling, Keeling Feeders.