Cattle futures were narrowly mixed Friday, ending a week of recovery.
Live Cattle futures were an average of 15¢ higher, except for unchanged to 37¢ lower in the front three contracts. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of 38¢ lower.
Week to week on Friday, Live Cattle futures closed an average of $3.56 higher, gaining back a little more than what was lost the previous week. Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $6.70 higher ($5.72 to $8.17 higher) during the same period.
Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ranged from limited on light to moderate demand in the Southern Plains to light on moderate demand in the North through Friday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.
For the week, Live FOB prices are steady to $1 higher in the Texas Panhandle at $181/cwt., steady to $1 lower in Kansas at $180-$181, mostly steady in Nebraska at $181-$182 and steady to $2 higher in the western Corn Belt at $182-$183.
Dressed delivered prices were steady to $6 higher in Nebraska at $288-$294 and $2-$6 higher in the western Corn Belt at $288-$294.
Choice boxed beef cutout value was $2.27 lower Friday afternoon at $304.91/cwt. Select was $1.47 lower at $294.17.
Estimated total cattle slaughter last week of 620,000 head was 78,000 more than the previous holiday-shortened week, but 11,000 head fewer than the same week last year. Year-to-date estimated total cattle slaughter of 22.1 million head was 932,000 head fewer (-4.1%). Estimated year-to-date beef production of 18.6 billion pounds was 204.1 million pounds less (-1.1%).
Corn futures faded the increased yield projections in Thursday’s monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates.
Corn futures were mostly 3¢ to 6¢ higher. Kansas City Wheat futures were 10¢ to 13¢ higher. Soybean futures were 2¢ to 5¢ lower.
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Major U.S. financial indices continued higher Friday.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 297 points higher. The S&P 500 closed 30 points higher. The NASDAQ was up 114 points.
West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil futures on the CME closed 32¢ to 51¢ lower through the front six contracts.
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Cattle futures rebounded last week, recovering a lion’s share of the previous week’s losses, bolstered in part by steady to higher negotiated cash fed cattle prices. However, Cattle futures have lost their previous lustre in the near term as cash prices drift below year-ago levels, albeit near historical highs.
“Feeder cattle prices have steadily declined for more than two months and now the calf market is taking both a hit from the bearish sentiment in the market and the seasonal price decline that comes in the fall months, says Andrew P. Griffith, agricultural economist at the University of Tennessee, in his weekly market comments. “As the market pushes into October, the freshly weaned calf market will likely see further softening of prices as large temperature swings and dry dusty conditions tend to lead to increased weaning stress and thus a higher probability of respiratory issues.”