Live cattle futures were up 42 cents in June but down 15 to 75 cents across the rest of the board on Wednesday. Open interest was up 3,469 contracts. The Wednesday Fed Cattle online auction showed no sales on the 1,466 head offered, with 1 lot bid at $400 dressed. Feeder cattle futures saw late strength, with contracts up 37 cents to $1.97 at the close. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was up 2 cents on June 16 to $364.02. The market will round out the week today, with Friday off in observance of Juneteenth.
USDA will release Cattle on Feed data later today, as traders are looking for May placements to be down 5.5% from a year ago. Marketings are seen down 10.6% compared to 2025. June 1 on feed is expected to total 2.5% larger than the same period last year.
Wholesale Boxed Beef prices were mixed in the Wednesday PM report, with the Chc/Sel spread at $17.24. Choice boxes were down $5.08 to $394.50, while Select was 41 cents higher at $377.26. USDA’s federally inspected cattle slaughter for Wednesday was estimated at 109,000 head, with the weekly total at 317,000 head. That is up 1,000 from the previous week but 15,258 head below the same week last year.
Jun 26 Live Cattle closed at $255.725, up $0.425,
Aug 26 Live Cattle closed at $248.850, down $0.350,
Oct 26 Live Cattle closed at $241.850, down $0.150,
Aug 26 Feeder Cattle closed at $367.425, up $0.550,
Sep 26 Feeder Cattle closed at $365.650, up $0.375,
Oct 26 Feeder Cattle closed at $362.850, up $0.425,
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