Cattle Current Podcast—Jan. 1 and 2, 2024

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was slow on light demand in all regions through Friday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

For the week, FOB live prices were $1 higher in the Texas Panhandle at $172/cwt., $1-$2 higher in Kansas at $172, $1 higher in Nebraska at $172-$173 and mostly $2 higher in the western Corn Belt at $172-$172.50. Dressed delivered prices were $3 higher at $273.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.57 lower Friday afternoon at 289.71/cwt. Select was $1.09 higher at $260.33/cwt. Week to week on Friday, Choice boxed beef cutout value was $3.22 lower and Select was 82¢ lower .

Year-to-date estimated total cattle slaughter of 32.2 million head was 1.4 million head fewer (-4.2%) than the same time last year. Estimated year-to-date beef production of 26.6 billion lbs. was 1.3 billion pounds less (-4.6%).

Cattle and grain futures closed mainly narrowly mixed as traders closed the books on 2023.

Feeder Cattle futures closed mixed, from an average of 7¢ lower in the front three contracts to an average of 78¢ higher (12¢ to $1.82 higher). Week to week, they closed mixed, from an average of 80¢ lower in the front three contracts to an average of $2.15 higher.

Live Cattle futures closed narrowly mixed, from an average of 15¢ lower to an average of 37¢ higher, except for expiring Dec closing $2.47 higher. Week to week on Friday, after $3.62 higher in expiring Dec, Live Cattle futures closed an average of 80¢ higher (2¢ to $1.50 higher), except for an average of 5¢ lower in two contracts. 

On Friday, Corn futures closed 1¢ to 3¢ lower through Jly ’25 and then unchanged to fractionally lower.

KC HRW Wheat futures closed fractionally lower to 1¢ lower through Dec ’24 and then fractionally higher.

Soybean futures closed mostly 11¢ to 14¢ lower.