2^nd Annual Nexus Tailgate at Iowa State

Saturday, September 8^th

2:00 PM – Game End

Game Time: 6:00 PM

Iowa State vs. University of Northern Iowa

The Story County Cattlemen’s Association will be grilling steak sandwiches; join Nexus staff and customers for plenty of food and fun!

RSVP by Friday, August 31^st if you’ll be attending.

(It’s free!)

§ Headcount vs. Carcass Weights: Fewer cattle are expected to be marketed this fall and winter due to decreased placements but indications are that producers are currently holding some August cattle for the better October market. 

§ Total beef tonnage may not change much this fall with carcass weights registering at record high levels for this time of the year.  We could see all-time, recording setting carcass weight highs in November according to Cattle Buyers Weekly.

§  Blue ear virus is affecting hog production in China.  The disease may be affecting up to 20% of their 500 million hogs.  They may see a shortage of 100 million hogs, equivalent to one entire year of U.S. hog production.

§  Cargill, Inc. saw a 36% increase in income this year; its fifth consecutive year of record earnings.

§ U.S beef should be back on the grocery stores in South Korea as early as October.

§ Looking forward to a fall price rally?  Since 1990, prices typically rally 9–11% from the August low to the December high.  The board has already priced in this rally.

§ U.S. imports of Canadian steers and heifers are up 19% year to date compared to last year.

§ Higher placement weights mean that cattle will come out of the feedlots more quickly and within a smaller window than normal.  So, the expected decrease in supply will not be hugely significant, rather, it’ll be more like a normal summer to winter decline.

§ Good to grill… or bad?  When meat is grilled at high temperatures for long periods a chemical reaction occurs, creating heterocyclic amines, or HCA’s.  HCA’s have been linked to tumor growth in rats and mice; more than 30 studies have shown a link between cancer and a high consumption of grilled or well-done foods.  You can reduce the risks associated with grilling by:

· Microwaving foods for about 60 seconds before grilling.  The food then cooks faster on the grill and the chemical reaction can’t take place because the amino acids and creatine come out in the microwave.   A well-done burger, microwaved for a minute, has one tenth the HCA’s of a burger cooked entirely on the grill.

· Eat veggies!  Eating vegetables like broccoli with grilled meats changes the way the body metabolizes chemicals created while grilling.

· Use marinades; the marinade will act as a barrier to the heat.

· Flip often; flipping the food lowers the temperature, again reducing the chance for the chemical reactions to occur.

Grilling also causes fat to drip on the coals      which forms carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hyrocarbons (PAH’s).  Avoid this by not flaming or charring food.

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