Al6-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 31,2003 GRAIN, CATTLE. HOG, & MILK BFP FUTURES MARKETS Markets Courtesy of Chicago Board and Mercantile Exchange Closing Bids: Thursday, May 29, 2003 Com 05/28/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 *CASH* JUL 03 SEP 03 DEC 03 MAR 04 MAY 04 JUL 04 SEP 04 DEC 04 05/29/03 DEC Total 05/28/03 Soybeans 05/28/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 *CASH* JUL 03 AUG 03 SEP 03 NOV 03 JAN 04 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 MAR MAY JUL NOV Total 05/28/03 Soybean Meal 05/28/03 05/29/03 *CASH* JUL 03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 Total 05/28/03 May 23,2003 MILK PRODUCTION AND COLD STORAGE • April milk production up 0.8 percent. • Cow numbers drop, • April stocks up. Two very important statistical reports were released this past week. The first was the Milk Pro Open 2414 2394 2404 2460 2522 2520 2450 2434 2374 Volume Open_lnt 59084 405543 Open 6214 6184 5854 5540 5580 04 04 04 04 5630 5670 5630 5352 Volume Open_lnt 49606 226152 Open High Low Last 19200 19200 19200 1929 1895 1921 1900 1877 •1818 1692 1680 1680 1705 1712 1733 1727 1722 1637 1650 Volume Open_lnt 29637 156088 duction Report. It indicated that the nation’s milk supply is still growing, but at a much slower rate. The second was the Cold Storage Report. It showed the op posite inventory is growing, particularly for butter. First, the Milk Production Re port. Once again, milk produc tion is growing relative to year- High 2492 2454 2434 2446 2502 2540 2554 2450 2450 Low 2492 2406 2390 2400 2460 2510 2520 2450 2434 2374 2374 High 6135 6320 6290 5954 5654 5690 LOW 6135 6184 6164 5840 5534 5574 5630 5654 5630 5352 5720 5674 5700 5352 1877 1818 1690 1676 1680 1705 1712 1732 1727 1722 1637 1650 1909 1847 1726 1710 1712 1730 1740 1755 1735 1722 1637 1660 Lean Hogs Date 05/28/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 Chge Last 2492 2450 2432 2442 2500 2536 2554 2450 2450 Composite Volume Open_lnt 05/28/03 9553 45277 unch 2374 Live Cattle Date 05/28/03 +CASH* 0 787178717871 unch 05/29/03 May 03 8075 8100 7995 8100+105 05/29/03 Jim 03 7550 757574977555 +3O 05/29/03 Jul 03 7160 718070857140 -10 05/29/03 Aug 03 7040 704569506990 -15 05/29/03 Oct 03 7120 712570607092 -10 05/29/03 Dec 03 7380 738273407357 -5 05/29/03 Feb 04 7475 748074377455 -7 05/29/03 Apr 04 7540 757575157570 unch 05/29/03 Jun 04 6975 699069706970 -10 Chge -63 •470 + 64 + 56 + 54 + 56 Last 6135 6300 6272 5926 5622 5660 + 56 + 50 + 54 + 24 5702 5664 5684 5352 Composite Volume Open_lnt 05/28/03 33560 110461 Pork Bellies Date 05/28/03 •’■'CASH 1 0 980098009800 +2OO 05/29/03 Jul 03 9677 9715 95509640 -2 05/29/03 Aug 03 9325 936592159262 -23 05/29/03 Feb 04 8010 8065 80008015 -15 05/29/03 Mar 04 8020 802080208020 unch Chge -450 + 15 1901 1839 1709 1696 1697 1720 1730 1746 1735 1722 1637 1650 Composite Volume Open_lnt 05/28/03 1005 3540 Oats 05/28/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 05/29/03 Total 05/28/03 ago levels. Milk production for 20 select states during April was up 0.8 percent relative to a year ago. But the critical number was the number of milking cows. For the first time in months, the number of cows on farms actually de clined from the month before. That is very good news, because it indicates the month-over month growth in cow numbers has hopefully subsided. We’ll need to wait at least a few months to see if this pattern of reduced cow numbers persists. You will note that California, however, actually gained 4,000 head. The Cold Storage Report an- Our Dairy Plus Special Technology issue on June 28 focuses on ways producers can use the latest technology to aid them in improving efficiency and expanding the bottom line. Included are reports on a freestall sand separator, robotic milking, and other new items. Also included are a stray voltage update, veterinary reports, cooperative and dairy business news, and a calendar of events. ~ u- l, , * r . Previous Previous Open High Low Last Chge Vo|ume ope n_lnt ASH : 0 574457445744 -66 Jim 03 6427 648564006422 +l5 Jul 03 6640 674066206672 +62 Aug 03 6732 678566656737 +B5 Oct 03 5645 569756305662 +l5 Dec 03 5465 552054455447 -30 Feb 04 5810 586058105827 -3 Apr 04 5985 599059455955 -25 May 04 6220 624062206227 unch Jun 04 6460 646064506450 -10 „ . T T Previous Previous Open H.gh Low Last Chge Vo|um< , Qpen 0 0 295 223 12891 26838 66 366 14260 44283 3684 20530 1589 12538 523 3927 109 1540 143 216 Previous Previous Open H.gh Low Last Chge Vo|ume o pen_lnt 0 0 859 3115 137 354 9 70 0 1 Open *CASH* JUL 03 SEP 03 DEC 03 MAR 04 MAY 04 1432 1412 1410 1450 1500 Volume Open_lnt 1167 5745 nounced inventory for butter and cheese at the end of April. Sur prisingly, butter inventories were up 35 percent to 265.3 million pounds relative to last year. That’s a lot of butter. But recall that butterfat production this time last year was actually de pressed. Cheese inventories in April were also up, but not as much as butter. Natural Ameri can cheese was up 4 percent, whereas other cheese was down 6 percent. Overall, cheese invento ries appear to be under control. That means a modest recovery in the cheese market can be ex pected if the milk supply contin ues to decline. High 1644 1476 1450 1430 1470 1500 To help farmers across the state to have handy reference of commodity input costs in their feeding operations for DHIA re cord sheets or to develop livestock feed cost data, here’s last week’s average costs of various ingredients as compiled from regional reports across the state of Penn sylvania. Remember, these are averages, so you will need to adjust your figures up or down according to your location and the quality of your crop. 0 3659 2678 1404 960 715 54 54 18 11 Last 1644 1466 1432 1426 1470 1500 Low 1644 1430 1412 1400 1450 1500 Average Farm Feed Costs for Handy Reference Com, No.2y 3.02 bu., 5.40 cwt. Wheat, N 0.2 3.21 bu., 5.36 cwt. Barley, N 0.3 2.16 bu., 4.62 cwt. Oats, N 0.2 2.1 bu., 6.55 cwt. Soybeans, No.l 6.05 bu., 10.10 cwt. Ear Corn 88.30 ton, 4.42 cwt. Alfalfa Hay 161.25 ton, 8.06 cwt. Mixed Hay 146.25 ton, 7.31 cwt. Timothy Hay 145.00 ton, 7.25 cwt. 0 13066 14700 7806 4863 3666 648 408 33 86 Chge + 16 + 36 + 22 + 26 + 20 unch