Feeder Cattle Higher Last Week, Fed Cattle Softer
Fed cattle trades were steady to $1 softer last week. Cattle in the North sold at mostly $123 to $125 lives and $197 to $200 dressed. Moderate volumes traded in the South at $118 to $120, steady to $2 lower than the previous week.
Feeder cattle sold $2 to $6 per cwt. higher at auctions in the Southeast and South-Central states last week, Agricultural Marketing Service reporters said.
“The North-Central region would be called sharply higher after not many sales occurred the week prior to the July 4 holiday and several BBQ specials on the calendar brought handsome prices this week to consignors,” AMS reported.
“Yearlings and calves alike sold in moderate to good demand nationwide this week as buyers were willing to fill pens with limited sales again this week. The Bassett Livestock (NE) BBQ sale had some striking prices reported from Wednesday as buyers were active in the seats as well as online bidding. Three loads of 763-pound steers notated with the NHTC description sold at $176.75, and another three loads of NHTC steers weighing 847 pounds sold at $167.25.”
Choice boxed beef closed the week $6.85 lower at $278.59, while Select was $7 lower at $257.41 for the same period. Weekly Cattle Slaughter under federal inspection estimated at 582,000 for the week, 44,000 less than last week, and 67,000 less than a year ago.
Auction receipts totaled 88,200 head compared to 96,000 the previous week and 134,500 last year.
August live cattle settled 5 cents higher at $119.225 per hundredweight on Friday, the contract’s lowest closing price since $118.55 on June 11 and a 2.3% decline for the week. August feeder cattle rose $1.85 on Friday to $159.175, a gain of 1.3% for the week.
