Live cattle contracts showed a slight recovery on Thursday, with midday prices ranging from down 15 cents to up 22 cents. Cash sales were reported at $188-191 in Kansas and Texas, and $198 in the northern trade, with the Central Stockyards Fed Cattle Exchange recording sales of $191 in Texas. Feeder cattle prices increased by 30 cents to $1.05, while the CME Feeder Cattle Index rose by 82 cents to $258.15 on July 9.
Export sales of beef for the July 4th holiday week totaled 8,348 MT, marking a low for the marketing year. Shipments were 14,288 MT, the lowest since mid-April. USDA’s wholesale Boxed Beef prices also declined, with Choice boxes at $323.37/cwt and Select boxes at $303.24, down 68 cents and 70 cents, respectively. The estimated slaughter for Wednesday was 122,000 head, bringing the week-to-date total to 354,000 head, which is up 1,000 from the previous week but down 23,875 from the same week last year.
As of Thursday, the prices for live and feeder cattle were as follows: Aug 24 Live Cattle at $182.100 (down $0.150), Oct 24 Live Cattle at $183.375 (up $0.175), Dec 24 Live Cattle at $184.900 (up $0.100), Aug 24 Feeder Cattle at $255.275 (up $0.925), Sep 24 Feeder Cattle at $255.450 (up $0.875), and Oct 24 Feeder Cattle at $255.275 (up $0.475).
