Markets

Futures, updated through the day · CME via Yahoo Finance

Market feed unavailable right now — the calculator below still works with manual prices.

Cattle : corn ratio

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Live cattle ($/cwt) ÷ corn ($/bu). Above ~18: cheap corn, feeding out tends to pay. Below: selling as feeders looks better.

Verdict at your numbers

Feed out — projected to pay

Net gain of $1042/head (51.1% ROI) feeding from 600 to 1400 lb over ~267 days.

Sell now vs feed out — per head

Weight now (lb)

Finish weight (lb)

ADG (lb/day)

Feed conversion (lb/lb)

Other cost ($/hd/day)

Feeder price ($/lb)

Fat price ($/lb)

Corn ($/bu)

Sell now

$1500

Sell at 1400 lb

$3080

Feed + other cost

$538

Cost of gain

$0.67/lb

Value of gain

$1.98/lb

Breakeven fat price

$1.46/lb

Days on feed

267

Corn needed

93 bu

Rules of thumb: value of gain must beat cost of gain; watch the breakeven against the fat price you can actually contract. Futures ≠ your local sale barn basis — adjust prices to what your barn is paying.