CLARA’s Feeder Cattle Gauge: A Critical Tool for Cattle Producers

CLARA’s Feeder Cattle Gauge is the most reliable and fastest way to determine whether the cash feeder market is performing higher or lower than the futures market. This tool is essential for every cattle producer, as it provides insight into one of the most important key metrics in determining market direction. Since feeder futures are cash-settled, they must converge with the cash market before the contract expires, making it crucial to track the relationship between cash prices and futures contracts.

What makes CLARA’s Feeder Cattle Gauge unique is its real-time data tracking. The National Steer Price and the Real Time Index (RTI) are updated in real-time, providing an immediate pulse on the market. In contrast, the CME Feeder Index is only updated once per day and lags two days behind. Since both the CME Feeder Index and the RTI are calculated the same way, the National Steer Price, which is exclusive to CLARA, serves as a leading indicator for both, helping predict price movement before it reflects in delayed indexes. By tracking these key market metrics, CLARA’s Feeder Cattle Gauge gives producers the insight they need to make informed decisions in an ever-changing market.