Live cattle futures closed Wednesday with contracts $1.70 to $3.35 higher across the board. Cash trade has been limited so far, with last week at $260 to $265 across the country. The Wednesday Fed Cattle Exchange online auction showed no sales on the 1,008 head offered, with bids of $255. Feeder cattle futures posted Wednesday gains of $3.80 to $5.17 on the day. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was down $4.23 on May 25 to $367.26.
Wholesale Boxed Beef prices were mixed in the Wednesday PM report, with the Chc/Sel spread at $5.43. Choice boxes were up $1.82 to $394.72, while Select was $1.01 lower at $389.29. USDA estimated federally inspected cattle slaughter for Wednesday at 110,000 head, with the weekly total at 222,000 head. That was down 20,284 head from the same post-Memorial Day week last year.
Jun 26 Live Cattle closed at $251.425, up $3.200,
Aug 26 Live Cattle closed at $242.500, up $3.350,
Oct 26 Live Cattle closed at $233.975, up $3.025,
Aug 26 Feeder Cattle closed at $354.625, up $5.175,
Sep 26 Feeder Cattle closed at $351.800, up $4.775,
Oct 26 Feeder Cattle closed at $348.475, up $4.575,
