HomeMost PopularCattle Prices Slide Further on Thursday

Cattle Prices Slide Further on Thursday

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Cattle Futures Experience Midday Declines Amid Strong Beef Export Numbers

Live cattle futures significantly drop as the market reacts to recent auction results and beef exports.

Live cattle futures are facing Thursday midday losses between $2.70 and $3.65. An online auction on Thursday morning at Central Stockyards reported sales of $209 for two lots in Kansas, while one lot sold for $211 in Colorado, utilizing the BidTheGrid™ method. Meanwhile, feeder cattle futures fell by $2.20 to $2.50, with January futures showing a slight increase of $1.37. The CME Feeder Cattle Index additionally increased by 39 cents from the previous day, hitting $279.45 as of January 28.

According to USDA, 20,166 metric tons (MT) of beef were sold for delivery in 2025 during the week ending January 23, marking the highest weekly figure recorded this year. South Korea accounted for 11,800 MT of these purchases, while Japan bought 3,800 MT. Shipments for the same week reached 21,490 MT, which is 82.54% larger than the week before and 39.23% higher than the same week last year. In terms of destination, South Korea received 3,400 MT while Japan imported 2,700 MT.

Wholesale Boxed Beef prices reported by USDA were lower in the Thursday morning release, with the Choice/Select spread at $12.42. Choice boxes decreased by $1.68 to $328.86 per cwt, and Select boxes were down $4.23 at $316.44. Additionally, USDA estimated the federally inspected cattle slaughter at 124,000 head on Wednesday, bringing the weekly total to 362,000 head, which is 1,000 head less than last week and down 12,128 head compared to the same week last year.

Feb 25 Live Cattle: $204.300, down $2.725

Apr 25 Live Cattle: $201.300, down $3.650

Jun 25 Live Cattle: $195.750, down $3.000

Jan 25 Feeder Cattle: $281.925, up $1.375

Mar 25 Feeder Cattle: $273.050, down $2.225

Apr 25 Feeder Cattle: $272.325, down $2.275


On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder did not hold (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For further details, please consult the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.

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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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