**Live Cattle Futures Show Gains**
On Monday, live cattle futures increased by 30 to 90 cents, with April contracts closing at $233.100. Last week’s cash market reported Southern cattle trade at $244 and Northern sales between $239-243. Feeder cattle futures closed higher by $1.85 to $2.30, despite early losses, while the CME Feeder Cattle Index fell 97 cents to $371.82 on February 27. The Oklahoma City feeder cattle auction offered 5,500 head, showing a decline of $2-8 for feeder steers and $4-10 for heifers.
In the wholesale sector, boxed beef prices rose, with Choice boxes up $1.50 to $381.34, and Select boxes increasing by $3.90 to $378.21. USDA reported Monday’s federally inspected cattle slaughter at 102,000 head, 4,000 less than the previous week and 2,764 shy of last year’s figures.
