Mississippi Cattlemen's Association
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Hinds/BCIA Bull Sale Thursday
 
The Hinds Bull Test and MBCIA Sale will be held Thursday, March 6 in Raymond. The sale catalog is available online.
As an added attraction, the Mississippi BCIA will host its annual membership meeting at the sale site starting at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5, 2014.
A sponsored meal and educational program will be provided along with an opportunity to view the sale cattle.
The supper and program are open to the public. Please RSVP to Mari Quinn at 662-325-3516 or [email protected] if you plan to attend the Wednesday evening activities.
Sale of Junior Champions
Record $369,150 bid at 2014 Dixie National Sale of Jr. Champions - Farmweek, February 21, 2014
Watch the Farmweek story here.

MBCIA Newsletter 
BCIA
The March issue of he Mississippi Beef Cattle Improvement Association newsletter is now available online.
MBCIA membership is only $5.00. Join while attending the bull sale Thursday or mail your membership today! 
BC2
Southern Pasture & Forage Crop
SoPastureFCIC
The Southern Pasture and Forage Crop Improvement Conference
annual meeting will be held April 21 - 23 in Biloxi.
The program will include information on forage management and production as well as tours of farms along the Gulf Coast.
Go to SPFCIC for details.
  BBQSkil
Total recipe time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours

Makes 4 servings
In Memoriam
     
We send our condolences to the Wilson family of Copiah County in the death of Jack Sr.
Mr. Jack and Wilson's Meat House have been longtime supporters of the Dixie National Sale of Junior Champions and other youth livestock programs.
Save The Dates!  
 
Cattlemen's College will be held August 27 and 28.
National
Cattle Rise to Record
     
Bloomberg reports that cattle futures rose to a record as ranchers struggle to boost the U.S. herd from a 63-year low, and hogs climbed to a 34-month high after a virus that kills piglets spread, spurring concerns that meat supplies will shrink.
Beef output in the U.S., the world's top producer, will fall 5.3 percent this year to 24.35 billion pounds (11.04 million metric tons), the lowest since 1994, the Department of Agriculture has forecast. At the start of this year, the cattle herd fell to 87.7 million head, the lowest since 1951, following drought and high feed costs. Porcine epidemic virus has killed more than 4 million pigs, according to an industry group.
In February, the USDA lowered its 2014 forecast for red-meat production and boosted the outlook for cattle and hog costs. Higher meat prices will raise expenses for retailers, while grocery shoppers will pay as much as 3.5 percent more for meat this year, compared with a 1.2 percent increase in 2013, the government projects.
In late February, cattle futures for April delivery rose 1.5 percent to settle at $1.44525 a pound on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. After the close, the price reached $1.453, the highest for a most-active contract since the commodity debuted in 1964. Trading almost doubled compared with the 100-day average for this time, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Did you know ......... 
 
... that providing 30-minute nutritious meal solutions  is just one of the things that your checkoff is doing to show millennials how beef can fit into their lifestyle?
The checkoff also motivates foodservice chefs and other professionals to sell more beef by providing them with a steady flow of knowledge, fact-based information and inspiration to keep their menus alive and active with beef.
This includes new opportunities for preparing beef, through preparation methods, new flavor combinations and profiles, and new equipment and appliances.

... that your checkoff's "Easy Fresh Cooking" labels provide recipe, cookery and safe-handling information in one convenient on-pack sticker  on fresh beef products?
The labels are proven to build consumer confidence in purchasing a wider variety of beef cuts:  72 percent of shoppers say they have bought a product because of the on-pack marketing, and 46 percent say they are more likely to purchase new or different cuts as a result.
Easy Fresh Cooking takes the guess work out of the meat case, making beef easier to shop for and easier to stock. More than 10,000 stores nationwide use the checkoff program or a similar customized offshoot of it.

3.03.14
 
RitchieMarch
 
AgEcon  
Cattle Market
Notes 
Dr. John Michael Riley   
February 28, 2014 

Cash Cattle:
After a short pause, cash cattle prices built some steam last week and that momentum continued this week, pushing cash prices to new record levels. The five-area fed steer prices finished the week at $150.66 and $239.98, respectively for live and dressed, up $8.66 and $9.98. On Wednesday the Southern Plains sold live cattle at $150, while Nebraska traded at $152 live and $240 dressed. Western Cornbelt prices were $150 and $240 for live and dressed.
Steer and heifer calves in Oklahoma City were steady to $2 higher. OKC feeder steers were steady to $2 lower, while feeder heifers were steady to $1 higher. In Mississippi auction markets all steers and heifers were mostly steady.

[ ... For Livestock Prices and Production Information CLICK HERE ... ].

Futures:

Cattle futures were mildly higher this week, taking cues from the cash market. With the February contract rolling off, the new nearby (April) showed the most strength, up $3.35. The futures market continues to have a wait and see approach for deferred contracts, meaning it will push the nearby contract in-line with cash, but keeps all other contract months in a holding pattern. Equity markets saw some strength on the week, with the S&P 500 hitting a new record. Analysts keep blaming the dismal last few weeks of economic data on frigid weather (cold with lots of snow and ice). The excuse seems a little to easy, but how likely would you brave the past conditions to walk through a car lot to make a purchase, or contend with dangerous road conditions to eat out, shop, or view homes for sale? I for one would probably have done the bare minimum and stayed home. [This is a perfect opportunity to shine a light on our nation's cattlemen and cattlewomen, whose bare minimum in these conditions is far beyond so many other's extreme maximum. Thanks! ... Stepping off of soapbox.]
Corn futures were about a nickel higher this week. The week was somewhat of a roller coaster with decent gains on Tuesday, losses on Thursday and finally a reversal on Friday. Exports are the major news maker lately and this week's data were positive for corn prices. U.S. growers are slowly pulling planters out of the shop. The month of March will end with the planting expectations report and that number will be highly anticipated as corn has tried to give up some acres to both soybeans and cotton this winter    

Beef:
While boxed beef has not regained all of it's recent losses like cash cattle prices have, they have managed to make up some ground. Choice boxed beef finished with a weekly average of $219.60, up $6.62. Select averaged $217.09, up $6.40.
 
Grazon452
Calendar

March

 4 Madison CCA

 4 Calhoun CCA

 5 BCIA Dinner

 6 Hinds/BCIA Bull
          Sale

 11 Mythbusters

 12 Legislative
              Cookout

 20 Webster CCA 
     

 
Alltech
Outback
Merial color
Zoetis
novartisDuPont3
Merck
NowellAgency

Positive feed
 
Mississippi Cattlemen's Association
DiscountMerchants members can


 Save at these participating sponsors.  

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