Live cattle futures got some bottom pickers to show up on Thursday, with contracts $1.17 to $2.20 higher. Cash trade has picked up mostly to $230 across the country. The Thursday Fed Cattle Exchange online auction showed no sales on the 1,530 head, with bids at $230. Feeder cattle futures found some buyers to close with contracts $2.60 to $4.90 higher. CME Feeder Cattle Index was down another $2.40 on July 22 to $350.72.
Export Sales data from USDA showed beef sales for 2026 at 9,377 MT for the week ending on 7/16. That was back up from last week’s the 4th lowest total for the calendar year. Shipments were tallied at 12,544 MT, which back up from last week’s calendar year low.
