Live cattle futures rose by $1.05 to $2.90 on Tuesday, with cash prices reported between $246 and $250 per hundredweight. Feeder cattle futures also saw increases, closing up by $1.40 to $2.50. The CME Feeder Cattle Index rose by $1.08 to $375.02. During the OKC feeder cattle auction, 4,859 head were sold, with prices for steers steady to $5 higher and heifers increasing by $10-15. Calf prices were steady to $25 higher.
In livestock health news, the APHIS report as of April 12 revealed 54 active cases of the new world screwworm in Tamaulipas, Mexico, alongside 3 cases in Nuevo Leon. Additionally, USDA reported a federally inspected cattle slaughter of 112,000 head on Tuesday, bringing this week’s total to 216,000, which is 5,000 head higher than last week but 17,545 head lower than the same week last year.
