Live cattle futures are seeing some month end selling, with contracts down $3.55 to $4.65 on Thursday. Cash trade has picked up this week to $235 in KS, up $3 to $5 from last week. Business has been quiet outside of that. This morning’s Fed Cattle Exchange online auction from Central Stockyards showed $228 bids in TX, with no sales reported on the 1,096 head offered. Feeder cattle futures are falling with $3.70 to $4.75 across most contracts at midday. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was back up 83 cents to $333.03 on July 29.
Beef Export Sales totaled 8,483 MT in the week ending on July 24, back down from the previous week. Shipments totaled 12,262 MT.
USDA Wholesale Boxed Beef prices were back higher in the Thursday morning report, with the Chc/Sel spread widening to $21.49. Choice boxes were quoted $1.45 higher at $363.44, while Select was up $1.04 to $341.95. USDA estimated cattle slaughter for Wednesday at 112,000 head, taking the weekly total to 333,000. That was up 2,000 head from last week but 24,395 head lower vs. the same week in 2024.
Aug 25 Live Cattle are at $229.525, down $3.550,
Oct 25 Live Cattle are at $225.100, down $4.625,
Dec 25 Live Cattle are at $225.850, down $4.050,
Aug 25 Feeder Cattle are at $335.225, down $3.725
Sep 25 Feeder Cattle are at $335.225, down $4.525
Oct 25 Feeder Cattle are at $333.800, down $4.750
