On Friday, live cattle futures fell between $4.25 and $4.85, influenced by cash trade sales from Thursday in the north, which ranged from $232 to $235. The Fed Cattle Exchange’s online auction reported sales of $232 on 298 of the 974 head offered. Feeder cattle futures also declined, with midday losses between $7.15 and $8.75. The markets will close on Monday for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.
In related news, the USDA’s APHIS reported new cases of New World Screwworm in Mexico, particularly in Tamaulipas, which saw 6 additional cases last week, bringing the total active cases in the state to 8. Additionally, USDA Wholesale Boxed Beef prices increased, with Choice boxes up $1.14 to $361.91 and Select boxes up 59 cents to $360.30. Thursday’s USDA federally inspected cattle slaughter was estimated at 117,000 head, raising the week-to-date total to 469,000, which is 4,000 head higher than last week but 15,813 shy of the same week last year.
