Volatility in the cattle market leaves a lot of unknowns for cattle farmers.  You can start to evaluate where the market is going at BeefBasis, a website developed in partnership with the USDA Risk Management Agency, Kansas State University, and Custom Ag Solutions.  The forecasting section is especially useful for projecting into the future where prices are headed.  The website includes tools that let you enter in information about your potential animals to be marketed and will return potential prices for the future date you select.