I searched data to see if I can find anything about meat consumption during lent. If it is out there, and I'm sure it is, I could not find it. My only personal conclusion is Jesus' family must have been fishermen, as there is data on how much more fish gets sold.

The cutout value is $108 as I write this. My prediction is that we will gain $20 fairly quickly. Grilling season is here and could take some cuts higher. We will see.

It's hard to discuss anything without at least mentioning the war so I just want to share this. Russia was the number 4 pork producer in the world and Ukraine was number 11. I saw an article asking for help feeding the livestock in Ukraine. Now, in my opinion, a feed truck from above kind of resembles those big missles they tow around. In any case, pigs are dying in Ukraine. Either starve to death or get trapped in the blown-up buildings. At the very least their feed budgets went back 100 years.

America is short of pigs as is the world. $7.50 corn is not adding numbers. Builders call me daily looking for work. A couple of years back builders were not even answering the phone.

Jim has mentioned, and he is right, that this death loss in America's sow herd is real. I think the average is 14 percent. Thank God (it is lent) that Genesus is a part of that or it would be over 20 percent. When I hear that hired men first job is to clip dew claws or sew up prolapsed sows, trim hooves, or haul dead sows..."Houston we have a problem". In my previous career, most everyone knows I bought a lot of cull sows for a packer. Through that time and through today, I have never seen a Genesus sow that needed its hooves trimmed! Not one!

The bottom line is cull sows are over $1.00/lb. You can pocket money by getting those old sows out of your herd and replacing them with a Genesus gilt. As an added benefit the hoof trimmer or the guy that sews up prolapses or the guy that clips dewclaws can all be put in a useful more productive part of your operation.

Happy Easter to all, better prices are coming!