Live cattle futures are down 47 cent to $1.15 at midday. Cash trade picked up on Thursday with $230 trade across the country reported. Feeder cattle futures are down $1.80 to $2.55 so far at midday, in give back mode ahead of the weekend. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was back up $1.44 to $345.47 on December 10.
USDA Wholesale Boxed Beef prices were mixed in the Friday morning report, with the Chc/Sel spread narrowing to $12.48. Choice boxes were down 85 cents to $357.26, while Select was $1.32 higher at $344.78. USDA federally inspected cattle slaughter was estimated at 123,000 head for Thursday, with the weekly total at 484,000. That was 9,000 head above last week but 4,644 head shy of the same week last year.
