Live cattle futures posted $1.37 to $1.75 losses across the nearbys on the Thursday session. Cash activity has started to pick up this week, with some sales of $242-243 reported, steady to $1 higher in the South and $2-3 weaker in the North. This morning’s Fed Catte Exchange online auction showed sales of $242.50 on 255 of the 752 head offered. Feeder cattle futures were down $2.25 to $3 on Thursday. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was down another $4.08 at $361.35 on September 3.
Census data converted to a carcass basis showed a 10-year low in exports for July at 210.6 million lbs.
USDA Wholesale Boxed Beef prices were mixed in the Thursday PM report, with the Chc/Sel spread at $26.44. Choice boxes were up $1.80 at $414.21, while Select was just 4 cents higher to $387.77. USDA estimated cattle slaughter for Thursday at 121,000 head, with the week to date total at 363,000 head. That was 17,308 head lower vs. the same week in 2024.
Oct 25 Live Cattle closed at $236.950, down $1.375,
Dec 25 Live Cattle closed at $238.550, down $1.700,
Feb 26 Live Cattle closed at $239.875, down $1.750,
Sep 25 Feeder Cattle closed at $359.825, down $2.250,
Oct 25 Feeder Cattle closed at $358.950, down $2.550,
Nov 25 Feeder Cattle closed at $358.075, down $3.000,
