Live cattle futures are $3 to $4.90 across most contracts on Thursday. Cash trade has been limited so far this week with a few $260 sales in KS and $265 in the North. The Thursday Fed Cattle Exchange online auction showed no sales on the 652 head offered, with bids of $260. Feeder cattle futures are falling on the Thursday session, with contracts down the $9.25 limit, with expiring May down $1.725. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was down $2.98 to $372.44 on May 19.
The weekly Export Sales report showed 8,095 MT of beef sold for 2026 in the week ending on May 14. That was the back up slightly from the week prior. Shipments were pegged at 12,263 MT, which was the third lowest for the calendar year.
Wholesale Boxed Beef prices were lower in the Thursday morning report, with the Chc/Sel spread at $5.33. Choice boxes were down 77 cents to $392.85, while Select was $3.61 lower at $387.52. USDA estimated federally inspected cattle slaughter for Wednesday at 108,000 head, with the weekly total at 321,000 head. That was up 3,000 head from the week prior but 36,571 head below the same week last year.
Jun 26 Live Cattle are at $250.250, down $3.025,
Aug 26 Live Cattle are at $240.400, down $4.900,
Oct 26 Live Cattle are at $232.075, down $4.700,
May 26 Feeder Cattle are at $369.000, down $1.725
Aug 26 Feeder Cattle are at $356.525, down $9.250
Sep 26 Feeder Cattle are at $353.375, down $9.250
