Cattle Current Daily—Aug. 3, 2026

Cattle Current Daily—Aug. 3, 2026

Cattle futures continued trying to recover from the early-week selloff on Friday.

Live Cattle futures closed narrowly mixed, from an average of 15¢ lower to an average of 39¢ higher, mostly through the front half of the board.

Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $1.23 higher.

Week to week on Friday, Live Cattle futures closed mixed, from an average of $3.90 higher across the front half of the board to an average of $2.26 lower. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $4.13 lower, except for an average of $2.51 higher in the front two contracts.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ranged from light on light demand in Kansas to limited on light demand in the North through Friday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. Although too few transactions to trend, there were some FOB live trades at $232-$235/cwt. in in the western Corn Belt, and some dressed trades in Nebraska at $365-$368.

Based on established trade for the week, FOB live prices were $2-$3 higher at $233 in Kansas and $232-$233 in the western Corn Belt. Dressed delivered prices the previous week were $365. FOB live prices in Nebraska the previous week were mostly $230.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 88¢ higher Friday afternoon at $361.38/cwt. Select was $4.90 higher at $346.23. Week to week on Friday, Choice was 14¢ higher and Select was 48¢ lower.

Estimated total cattle slaughter last week of 512,000 head was 16,000 head fewer than the previous week and 25,000 head fewer than the same week last year. Year-to-date estimated total cattle slaughter of 15.9 million head was 1.4 million head fewer (-8.2%) than the same week last year. Estimated year-to-date beef production of 14.2 billion pounds was 850.3 million pounds less (-5.7%).

Grain and Soybean futures were lower again on Friday, pressured by rain in the Corn Belt and likely month-end and week-end profit taking.

Corn futures were 4¢ to 5¢ lower through away Sep and then 1¢ to 3¢ lower. Week to week on Friday, they closed an average of 21’1¢ lower through the front six contracts. 

Soybean futures were mostly 2¢ to 5¢ lower on Friday and Kansas City HRW Wheat were mostly 18¢ to 23¢ lower through Mar ‘28.

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Major U.S. financial indices closed higher Friday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 276 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 52 points higher. The NASDAQ was up 251 points.

West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil futures (CME) closed 18¢ to $1.08 higher through the front six contracts.

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United States pasture value averaged $2,000 per acre in 2026, an increase of $80 per acre (4.2%) year over year and $530 more (36%) than in 2021, according to USDA’s Land Values-2026 Summary.

Regionally, pasture value was the highest in the Southeast at $5,920 per acre, which was $200 more (3.5%) than the previous year. It ranged from $3,500 in Alabama to $7,650 in Florida.

The least expensive pasture value was an average of $973 per acre in the Mountain region, which was $29 more (3.1%) year over year. It ranged from $650 in New Mexico to $2,500 in Idaho.

For gut-of-the-country perspective, pasture value averaged $1,640 per acre in the Northern Plains, up $80 (5.1%) year over year. Within the region, average pasture value was $2,400 in Kansas, $1,590 in Nebraska, $1,400 in South Dakota and $1,200 in North Dakota.

Average pasture value in the Southern Plains was $120 more (5.3%) year over year at $2,380 average per acre. Average pasture value was $2,420 in Texas and $2,200 in Oklahoma.

2026-08-02T15:08:24-05:00

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