Cattle Current Podcast-Aug. 30, 2018

If fat cattle auctions are any indication, negotiated cash fed cattle prices are shaping up to be lower this week.

For instance, fed steers and heifers traded $2-$3 lower at Sioux Falls Regional in South Dakota where Ch 2-4 steers brought $105.60-$107.25/cwt.

Likewise, Choice steers were $2.00-$2.25 lower at Tama, IA, bringing $107.25-$108.36

There were 751 head offered in the weekly Fed Cattle Exchange auction Wednesday, but no takers.

Cattle futures were lightly traded again Wednesday, closing mostly narrowly mixed, with no apparent impact from the USDA announcement about a confirmed case of atypical BSE. It was found in a 6-year-old mixed-breed beef cow in Florida. The animal never entered slaughter channels and never presented a risk to the food supply, or to human health in the United States. Atypical BSE generally occurs in older cattle, usually 8 years of age or older. It seems to arise rarely and spontaneously in all cattle populations.

Except for $1.37 higher in nearly spent spot Aug, Live Cattle futures closed an average of 19¢ higher across the front half of the board and then an average of 26¢ lower.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 17¢ lower across the front half of the board, and then an average of 84¢ lower.

Wholesale beef values were firm on Choice and weak on Select with light to moderate demand and offerings, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 28¢ higher Wednesday afternoon at $212.68/cwt. Select was 73¢ lower at $203.55.