
Live cattle futures are resuming some selling, with contracts $1.35 to $1.75 in the red. Cash activity so far this week has been $238-240 in the North, down $2-5 from last week, with Southern deals at $240. This morning’s Fed Cattle Exchange online auction showed $240 sales on 81 of the 1,516 head offered. Feeder cattle futures are trading with contracts $2.85 to $4.75 lower at midday. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was down $1.99 at $363.48 on September 10.
USDA Wholesale Boxed Beef prices were again lower in the Friday AM report, with the Chc/Sel spread at $22.22. Choice boxes were down 30 cents at $400.48, while Select was another $1.68 lower to $378.27. USDA federally inspected cattle slaughter for Thursday was estimated 117,000 head, with the weekly total at 459,000. That was 27,056 head lower vs. the same week in 2024.