Cattle prices have been in a steady upward trend for months. At the same time, corn prices have been declining. “The market is telling the cattle producers to get ready to hold back heifers and that will help put the last push in cattle prices for the next one or two years,” said Bryan Doherty, senior market advisor, Total Farm Marketing. “I still get concerned about the economy; with energy prices up, I get concerned food prices will get to a point where they will tip over because of a lack of demand.” During Wednesday’s RRFN market outlook forum, Doherty said the cattle industry has a demographic problem. “The average cow-calf operator is about 59 years old and you’ve got to get a younger generation into the cattle industry and I don’t know if the economics are there.”
