Live cattle futures declined on Wednesday, with prices dropping between 70 cents and $1.15. Cash sales in the South ranged from $218 to $220, showing a steady increase of up to $2 from the previous week. The Central Stockyards Fed Cattle Exchange reported 675 head sold out of 1,350 offered, with prices between $219 and $221. Feeder cattle futures also saw losses of 55 cents to $1.25, closing at $294.45 for May.
Additionally, USDA’s National Wholesale Boxed Beef prices rose, with Choice boxes increasing by $1.48 to $346.15, while Select boxes were up $1.03 at $334.00 per hundred pounds. The estimated cattle slaughter for Wednesday was 119,000 head, bringing the week-to-date total to 349,000, which is 4,000 head higher than the previous week but down 14,028 head compared to the same week last year.
