**Live Cattle Market Update**
On Wednesday, live cattle futures declined by $1.45 to $1.75, with the Wednesday Fed Cattle Exchange auction reporting no sales from the 1,024 heads offered, despite bids ranging from $233 to $235 live. The CME Feeder Cattle Index rose by 26 cents to $361.59 on March 23, while feeder cattle futures varied, increasing by 50 cents in March but falling by $1.50 to $2.15 in other contracts.
**Cattle Slaughter and Cold Storage Data**
USDA data indicated that federal cattle slaughter on Tuesday reached 107,000 head, totaling 212,000 for the week—a 9,000 head increase from the previous week, but still down 31,286 head compared to the same week last year. Additionally, cold storage data released Tuesday showed beef stocks at 413.34 million lbs as of February 28, marking the lowest level since 2014.
**Market Prices**
As for current prices, April live cattle are at $233.70 (down $1.675), June at $232.875 (down $1.725), and August at $230.625 (down $1.475). Mar 26 feeder cattle are priced at $360.80 (up $0.50), while April and May feeder cattle are at $352.30 (down $2.15) and $349.075 (down $1.625) respectively.
