Live cattle futures rounded out the Thursday session with contracts up 15 cents in nearby February and down 30 to 50 cents in other contracts. Cash trade remains quiet so far this week. The Thursday Fed Cattle Exchange online auction showed no sales on the 1,272 head offered, with bids of $240 live and $376 dressed. Feeder cattle futures closed with losses of 50 cents to $1.72 on Thursday. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was back down 49 cents to $373.87 on February 11.
The Thursday APHIS update on the New World Screwworm showed just one new active case in Tamaulipas this last week, taking the total active cases to 3 in that bordering state.
USDA reported at total of 15,660 MT in the week of 2/5, which was a 3-week low. South Korean buyers purchased 7,800 MT, with 1,900 MT sold to Japan. Shipments totaled 11,672 MT in that week, the lowest in 4 weeks.
Wholesale Boxed Beef prices were mixed in the Thursday afternoon report, with the Chc/Sel spread at $1.81. Choice boxes were down $1.08 to $364.84, while Select was 45 cents higher at $363.03. USDA estimated federally inspected cattle slaughter for Thursday at 115,000 head, with the weekly total at 454,000 head. That is 4,000 head above last week but 745 head below the same week last year.
Feb 26 Live Cattle closed at $242.500, up $0.150,
Apr 26 Live Cattle closed at $240.650, down $0.325,
Jun 26 Live Cattle closed at $236.250, down $0.325,
Mar 26 Feeder Cattle closed at $365.725, down $1.725,
Apr 26 Feeder Cattle closed at $363.625, down $0.975,
May 26 Feeder Cattle closed at $359.900, down $0.525,
