Join us every week as Farm and Ranch Media's Susan Littlefield takes a deep dive into the cattle markets with Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek Trading. Find more at https://www.kkvtrading.com.
10/8/26 Cattle Chatter: Is the Cattle Market Setting Up for a Sideways Chop?
Is the cattle market setting up for a period of sideways trade? On this week’s Cattle Chatter, Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek takes a closer look at the fundamentals and explains why he’s not particularly friendly toward the market right now. He discusses what happens when slaughter numbers increase and boxed beef prices struggle to sustain current levels, along with what he’s seeing in Iowa and the latest trends in national average carcass weights.
Pasture conditions remain a concern for producers, and viewers are also asking about the growing role of beef-on-dairy cattle. Could that changing supply mix eventually alter what has traditionally been considered the price structure for fed cattle? Brad tackles those questions and more in this week’s Cattle Chatter.
1 Oct 2026
10/1/26 Cattle Chatter: Cattle Market Caught Between Rally Hopes and Growing Red Flags
The cattle market is facing a daily conundrum as traders weigh the potential for another rally against growing concerns about the market's underlying fundamentals.
On this week's Cattle Chatter, Brad Kooima of Kooima Kooima Varilek looks at why the market continues to want to push higher, while he remains hesitant to turn fully bullish.
Kooima examines the market's lack of currentness compared with previous years, along with the movement of northern cattle from Nebraska into Texas. That shift in cattle flows is something he says deserves close attention as the market moves forward.
Weather is also becoming a factor, with excessive rain creating muddy conditions that can add stress to cattle and affect performance.
Meanwhile, the futures spread is sending an interesting signal. December cattle are trading above October, creating an incentive to keep cattle on feed rather than market them sooner.
With cattle movement, weather and the futures structure all pulling the market in different directions, Kooima explains why there are reasons for the market to rally—but also plenty keeping him from getting fully bullish.
24 Sept 2026
9/24/26 Cattle Chatter: Waiting on Cash as the Market Goes Blah
The cattle market has been all over the board this week, but as the week winds down, the trade has taken on a bit of a blah feel—much like the rainy Midwest weather.
On this week’s Cattle Chatter, Joe Kooima of Kooima Kooima Varilek breaks down the biggest questions facing the market:
Where’s the cash? Some bids are on the table in the North, but the South remains quiet.
Beef export talk: Discussion surrounding a possible beef export ban quickly met pushback, adding another headline for the market to digest.
Technical trade: Joe takes an in-depth look at this week’s technical moves and what the charts are telling cattle traders.
The market is waiting on cash, watching the headlines and looking for direction.
Will cattle find enough support to push back into the green—or does the blah feeling continue?
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