Beef markets 2026: Key signals for dairy-beef
- ZISK
- 12 hours ago
- 1 min read
Beef-on-dairy has become a major profit center on many dairies. Calf value, feeder demand, and fat cattle prices now matter almost as much as milk. In a recent “Chat BDC” podcast interview, David Weaber, senior protein analyst at Terrain, outlined what’s happening in the beef market and what it means for beef-on-dairy programs.
Plant disruptions and packer leverage
Recent weeks have brought a series of shocks to beef packing capacity, including Tyson’s Lexington, Ky., plant going dark, the loss of a shift in Amarillo, Texas, a strike at JBS Greeley, Colo., and the threat of a sympathetic strike at Cargill Fort Morgan, Colo. While total U.S. capacity remains adequate, these events shook confidence and pressured fed cattle prices. Weaber said much of that move was psychological rather than purely fundamental.
At the same time, finished cattle supplies are building in the North, particularly in Iowa, eastern and central Nebraska, and eastern South Dakota. Nebraska’s March 1 on‑feed numbers were the second largest ever, creating a front-end supply bulge that needs to be worked through.
April 23, 2026
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