Rabo AgriFinance and the Rabobank International Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory (FAR) group are constantly studying the nuances and complexities of the US cattle market. I’m Susan Allen when Open Range returns I’ll share some industry insights and both short and long-term projections from their recent report.  Researchers working for Rabobank International  don’t belive there  will be any breaks for what they call the “hard-pressed’  US cattle feeders struggling through the drought. In the groups U.S. Cattle Market Update with the title :the Rain Isn’t Falling, but Neither is the Sky!” it’s no surprise the team at Rabobank concluded that for the second year in a row weather is the main driver for the beef industry. They went on to state that as dire as the drought seems it is not as severe as last year and that in the Southern Plains grazing conditions have actually improved citing  surprises like Nebraska who posted a shocking feeding  placement rate that rose 24 %.  Also interesting to note is that due to the drought in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona the higher placements of Mexican cattle have helped raise inventories,  on the downside according to the Robobank researchers “As the Mexican cattle herd continues to diminish, U.S. cattle feeders may face greater long-term tightening of cattle supplies.”  For a link to the full report visit Open Range on aginfo.net.