Negotiated cash fed cattle tradewas limited on light demand in all major cattle feeding regions through Wednesday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. There were a few live trades in the Southern Plains steady with last week at $114/cwt., but too few to trend.
Cattle feeders offered 1,145 head (9 lots) in Central Stockyards’ (CS) Fed Cattle Exchange auction Wednesday, all from the Southern Plains. Of those, 409 head sold (250 heifers and 159 steers) for a weighted average price of $114.25/cwt. CS will host a special sale Thursday.
On the other hand, slaughter steers sold steady to $3 lower, with instances of $4 lower at Sioux Falls Regional in South Dakota. There were 534 head of Choice 3-4 steers weighing an average of 1,654 lbs., bringing an average of $112.06, which was $2-$3 lower than cash trade in the region last week.
Cattle futures closed higher Wednesday, helped along by sharply higher outside markets, broad commodity support and recent strength in Lean Hog futures.
Live Cattle futures closed an average of 91¢ higher.
Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.23 higher, from 67¢ higher at the back to $2.15 higher toward the front.
Choice boxed beef cutout value was 46¢ higher Wednesday afternoon at $240.75/cwt. Select was 74¢lower at $229.79.
Corn futures closed mostly 3¢ to 7¢ higher.
Soybean futures closed 14¢ to 18¢ higher through Jan ‘22, and then mostly 5¢ to 10¢ higher.
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