Live cattle futures are $2.50 to $2.80 higher at the Monday close to post strength to start to the week. Cash trade ranged from $230 to $232 in the north last week, with Southern sales near $235-237. Feeder cattle futures were higher at the close, with $3.70 to $5.40 gains. The CME Feeder Cattle Index fell $3.92 to $343.33 on October 31. The weekly OKC auction has 5,400 head for sale, with action noted $15-25 higher for heifers and feeder steers, with on steer calves +$20-30.
USDA Wholesale Boxed Beef prices were higher in the Monday afternoon report, with the Chc/Sel spread at $19.32. Choice boxes were up $1.12 to $379.25, while Select was $1.28 higher at $359.93. USDA federally inspected cattle slaughter for Monday at 109,000 head. That is 4,000 head above last Monday but 11,597 head shy of the same week last year.
