Live cattle futures are down 20 to 45 cents at midday. Cash trade has been quiet early in the week. The Wednesday Fed Cattle Exchange online auction showed $226 sales on one lot of the 2,914 head offered, with other bids of $223. Feeder cattle futures are trading with 35 cent to 92 cent losses on Wednesday. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was another $2.85 higher on October 12 to $341.47.
Tuesday’s Crop Progress report showed the US pasture rating at 22% gd/ex, down 1% on the week. The Brugler500 index was steady at 257.