Live cattle futures posted 32 cent to $1.27 losses across the board on Monday. Cash trade was picked up last week at $248 across the country. Feeder cattle futures slipped lower on Monday, down $2.45 to $4.37 at the close. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was down $1.98 to $375.69 on April 17. The OKC feeder cattle auction had an estimated 6,000 head sold with feeders steady to $2-4 lower.
USDA’s Cattle on Feed report from Friday showed March Placements down 7.67% from a year ago at 1.709 million head, coming close to estimates. Marketings were 5.5% lower vs. last year at 1.62 million head. April 1 on feed came in close to estimates at 11.576 million head, down 0.53% from a year ago. The inventory for heifers on feed was at 4.32 million head, down 1.37% vs April 1, 2025, the ratio at 37.32%.
