Cattle Current Podcast—April 7, 2025

Cattle futures plunged lower Friday with follow-through, tariff-related pressure — limit-down in some contracts.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of $6.00 lower. Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $7.81 lower.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ranged from light on light demand in the Southern Plains to light on moderate demand in the North through Friday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Last week, FOB live prices were $1-$2 lower in the Southern Plains at $208/cwt. steady to $3 lower in Nebraska at $210 and steady in the western Corn Belt at $213. Dressed delivered prices were steady at $335, the low end of last week’s range.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 8¢ higher Friday afternoon at $338.45/cwt. Select was 66¢ lower at $317.18.

Last week’s estimated total cattle slaughter of 591,000 head was 18,000 head fewer than the previous week and 23,000 head fewer than the same week last year. Estimated year-to-date total cattle slaughter of 7.9 million head was 448,000 head fewer (-5.4%) than the same period last year. Estimated year-to-date beef production of 6.9 billion pounds was 114.9 million pounds less (-1.6%).