Fed Cattle $2 Lower, Calves And Feeders Mixed
Cash fed cattle traded $2 per cwt. lower this week at $126, with trade in the North at $126 to $127. Dressed trade was steady to $2 lower at $203 to $205 per cwt. The trade was called active.
Feeder cattle and calf prices were mixed. Steer and heifer calves sold steady to $5 per cwt. higher, according to AMS reporters, while feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $5 lower.
“Buyers were more reserved on feeders headed straight to the feedyard as the CME futures markets were volatile all week long,” AMS said. Still, AMS reporters called demand good to very good on calves suitable for grazing.
“In the North Central part of the country, market reporters noted that there were fewer farmer-feeders in the seats as pens have started to thaw out and get greasy leading to some cattle now starting to carry some mud on them.” AMS noted fewer thin fleshed cattle in the offering this week as temperatures have been conducive to feeders showing the extra flesh they carry.
Choice beef cutout closed Friday at $222.52 per cwt., ending $4.12 per cwt. higher than the previous Friday. Select beef closed at $214.64 per cwt., up $2.58 from last week. The Choice/Select spread was $7.88.
