Live cattle futures closed Friday seeing some strength off the lows but closing down 22 to 87 cents. April was down $1.82 last week. Open interest was down 4,383 contracts on Friday. Cash trade has picked up this week, with $248 sales across the country, higher in the south but $1 weaker in the North. The Friday Fed Cattle Exchange online auction showed sales on 571 of the 1,222 head at $248. Feeder cattle futures were $1.57 to $2.85 lower across the board on Friday, with April $2.82 lower last week. OI was down 2,933 contracts, suggesting some longs exiting. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was down $1.42 to $377.67 on April 16.
USDA’s Cattle on Feed report from Friday showed March Placements down 7.67% from a year ago at 1.709 million head, coming close to estimates. Marketings were 5.5% lower vs. last year at 1.62 million head. April 1 on feed came in close to estimates at 11.576 million head, down 0.53% from a year ago. The inventory for heifers on feed was at 4.32 million head, down 1.37% vs April 1, 2025, the ratio at 37.32%.
