Cattle Current Podcast—Jan. 5, 2022

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was at a standstill through Tuesday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Last week, live prices were at $138/cwt. in the Southern Plains and $140 in Nebraska and the western Corn Belt. Dressed trade was at $220-$222.

Surging corn futures took Cattle futures down a peg Tuesday, especially Feeder Cattle.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.99 lower (70¢ lower toward the back to $3.57 lower in spot Jan).

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 77¢ lower (5¢ to $1.52 lower).

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 79¢ higher Tuesday afternoon at $266.82/cwt. Select was 33¢ higher at $259.23/cwt.

Bearish South American weather lit a fuse beneath soybeans, leading other grain futures along for the ride.

Soybean futures closed 27¢ to 34¢ higher through Aug ‘22 and then 12¢ to 18¢ higher in the next four contracts; mostly 2¢ higher the rest of the way.

Corn futures closed 10¢ to 20¢ higher through the front four contracts and then mostly 4¢ to 8¢ higher.