Through Friday afternoon, negotiated cash fed cattle prices for the week were generally $2 higher in the Southern Plains at $109/cwt. on a live basis; $1-$2 higher in Nebraska and at $108-$109 and steady to $3 higher in the western Corn Belt at $107-$110. Dressed trade was $2-$3 higher at $170.
Through Thursday, the five-area direct negotiated weighted average fed steer price was $107.59/cwt. on a live basis, which was 48¢ higher than the previous week, but $1.49 less than the same time last year. The average price in the beef of $169.29 was $1.61 more than the prior week but 79¢ less than the previous year.
Live Cattle futures closed an average of 55¢ lower except for 17¢ higher in spot Oct.
Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 90¢ lower (5¢ to $1.22 lower), except for 20¢ higher in spot Oct.
Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.94 lower Friday afternoon at $214.06/cwt. Select was $3.28 lower at $199.82.
Total estimated cattle slaughter for the week ending Oct. 10 was 637,000 head, which was 28,000 head fewer (-4.2%) than the previous week and 1.7% less than the same time last year. That’s according to USDA’s Estimated Weekly Meat Production Under Federal Inspection report. Year to date total cattle slaughter 24.81 million head is 1.05 million head fewer (-4.1%) than the same time last year.
Estimated beef production was 535.3 million lbs., which was 4.1% less than the previous week, but a tick higher than the same week last year. Year-to-date beef production of 20.57 billion lbs. is 1.4% less than last year.
Corn and soybean futures found another gear Friday, fueled by the monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates.
Corn futures closed mostly 6¢ to 8¢ higher through Jly ’21 and then mostly 3¢ to 4¢ higher.
Soybean futures closed mostly 15¢ and 26¢ higher.
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