Cattle Market Guys - Tuesday Check In 8-11-2026

Feeder cattle have come off their summer highs, but the lighter steers are already firming back up—500- to 549-pound steers ticked up to over $417 per hundredweight this past week—and Brock and Jim break down why the trend still points higher.. With feeder and stocker marketings running 23.2% below the three-year average, the underlying supply story remains tight, even as futures whipsaw on unrelated economic headlines.This Tuesday update covers the full cattle market picture: a detailed look at recent price action across weight classes, national forecasts showing a rebound to come, and insight from a Texas A&M AgriLife economist who says the price ceiling hasn't been hit yet. Brock and Jim also dig into surging ground beef demand outpacing supply, Brazil's shifting protein consumption patterns, and FAO data showing global food prices at a three-year high even as meat prices ease. A $2.5 billion JBS Australia-Danantara joint venture signals major institutional confidence in Southeast Asian protein demand, while U.S. Premium Beef announces CEO Stan Linville's retirement after nearly 30 years. The episode wraps with a look at AI-powered drones transforming pasture and herd management, plus workforce and crop updates from across the industry.Jim brings a callback to the 1996 drought years to put today's feeder supply crunch in perspective, and closes out with another one-liner too good to spoil here. Whether you're marketing cattle this month or just tracking where the cattle market is headed next, this episode delivers the data and context to stay ahead.