Live cattle futures posted mixed trade at the close, with contracts down $1.25 to $1.60 higher in the expiring April contract. Cash trade got kicked off early again this week, starting at $250-252 across the country and working up to $256-257 on Wednesday. Feeder cattle futures closed Thursday with gains of 80 cent to $1.15, as April was up $1.47 higher on expiration. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was up $2.67 to $372.47 on April 29.
The Thursday update from APHIS showed a total of 1,647 active cases of new world screwworm in Mexico as of Wednesday. There were 132 active cases in the bordering state of Tamaulipas, with 11 active in Nuevo Leon, and the first case showing up in the bordering state of Coahuila.
