Live cattle futures are trading with contracts $2.85 to $4.17 higher. Cash trade has yet to get kicked off this week, following last week’s live northern sales at $220-222 and southern trade reported at $226. Feeder cattle futures are trading with gains of $4.55 to $7.05 across the front months. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was 92 cents higher on October 2 to $337.76. The weekly OKC feeder cattle auction showed sales on 4,242 head on Monday, with sales $2-8 lower on feeder steers and steady on heifers. Calves were steady for steers, with heifers $5-10 higher.
Monday’s Crop Progress report showed the US pasture rating at 23% gd/ex, up 4% on the week. The Brugler500 index was back up 9 points to 257.
