Live cattle futures are trading with 82 cents to $1.05 gains at Wednesday’s midday. Cash trade has seen light $229 sales this week but not enough for a trend. The Wednesday morning Fed Cattle Exchange showed dressed sales of $230.5-232 on 599 of the 1,198 head offered. Feeder cattle futures are up another 47 to 80 cents at midday. CME’s Feeder Cattle Index was back down $7.96 to $356.00 on December 26.
A Tuesday afternoon update from APHIS showed several new cases of New World Screwworm, most listed in Veracruz (southern Mexico). There was an active bovine case in southern Tamaulipas, a state that borders the US, discovered on December 26.
This morning’s Export Sales report showed a total of just 2,117 MT of beef sold for 2025 in the week of 12/18, with 9,439 MT for 2026. Shipments were pegged at 17,108 MT, a 4-week high.
USDA Wholesale Boxed Beef prices were mixed in the Tuesday AM report, with the Chc/Sel spread widening to $5.61. Choice boxes were down another 20 cents to $348.00, while Select was 77 cents lower at $342.39. Tuesday’s USDA federally inspected cattle slaughter was estimated at 122,000 head, taking the week to date total to 240,000 head. That was 4,000 head below the week prior and 17,128 head above the same week last year.
Dec 25 Live Cattle are at $232.000, up $0.825,
Feb 26 Live Cattle are at $231.525, up $1.050,
Apr 26 Live Cattle are at $232.025, up $1.050,
Jan 26 Feeder Cattle are at $350.025, up $0.475
Mar 26 Feeder Cattle are at $345.275, up $0.700
Apr 26 Feeder Cattle are at $344.175, up $0.750
