In this Tuesday Market Check, Brock and Jim break down a pivotal start to December as cash prices, forecasts, and futures drift in different directions. Light steer prices remain strong at $365/cwt, but national forecasts slide lower over the next month—raising real questions about whether to hold calves through the holidays or secure value now. Meanwhile, Live and Feeder futures are softening, boxed beef is steady, and broader economic pressures are tugging at a market that seems a little twitchy.

The guys dive into regional packer shifts, Tyson’s operational updates, and what changing slaughter capacity could mean for basis, show lists, and early-week bidding. They also zoom out to global trends: tightening worldwide beef production, Australia’s rising grain-fed export footprint, and why U.S. producers tied to premium programs may need to sharpen logistics if they want to hold their edge overseas.

If you’re marketing calves, weighing hedges, watching futures, or just trying to keep hay coming and risk in check, this episode has the numbers, context, and straight talk to help you stay sharp in a volatile market.

Topics Today:

• Cash vs futures divergence and 4-week forecast trends
• Live & Feeder futures reaction post-Thanksgiving
• Regional show list pressure and packer strategy shifts
• Tyson operational updates and kill-capacity signals
• Global beef output declines for 2025
• Australia’s export momentum and Asian demand
• Practical marketing strategy for feeders, calves, and hedging

Clear data. Real ranch experience. And a reminder not to let the board scare you out of a good cash trade.

This week’s mid-week update is a big one. Brock and Jim break down the major market shock everyone’s talking about: Tyson’s closure of its Lexington, NE beef plant and shift reductions in Amarillo—removing up to 8,000 head of daily slaughter capacity from the system. They unpack how this structural change could impact bids, competition, freight, and marketing plans across Nebraska, Texas, and the High Plains.

From there, the guys dive into a tightening processor landscape, Walmart’s $257M beef facility expansion, rising plant utilization, and what it all means for producers trying to stay nimble. They also tackle futures pressure tied to tariff rollbacks, historic lows in U.S. beef exports to China, and why basis risk is climbing fast.

If you want clear, practical insight on how capacity, trade, and calf prices connect—and what decisions matter most heading into December—this is an episode you don’t want to miss.