Live cattle futures are up $3.02 to $4 at Friday’s midday. Cash trade has picked up this week, with light dressed trade at $384-386 in the North, with live action at $243-245. Southern bids have been picked up at $233. The Friday morning Fed Cattle Exchange online auction showed sales on 40 of the 1,188 head offered, at $242 in CO using the BidTheGrid™ method. Feeder cattle futures are posting Friday gains of $5.45 to $6.45 at midday. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was up another $1.92 to $346.01 on August 13.
USDA Wholesale Boxed Beef prices were higher in the Friday AM report, with the Chc/Sel spread widening to $31.70. Choice boxes were up $6.02 at $399.81, while Select was $1.23 higher to $368.11. USDA estimated cattle slaughter for Thursday was 113,000 head, with the week to date total at 446,000 head. That was down just 1,000 head from last week and 30,501 head lower vs. the same week in 2024.
