Cattle Current Podcast—Sept. 3, 2020

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was mostly light on light to moderate demand through Wednesday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

So far this week, prices are $1 lower in the Southern Plains on a live basis at mostly $104/cwt., $2 lower in Nebraska at $103 and $1-$4 lower in the western Corn Belt at $103. Dressed sales are $3-$5 lower at $162-$164.

Cattle feeders offered 436 head in the weekly Fed Cattle Exchange Auction on Wednesday, three lots from the Southern Plains. Of those, 365 head–two lots–sold for a weighted average price of $103/cwt.–218 head for 1-9 day delivery and 147 head for delivery at 1-17 days.

Cattle futures sagged lower, pressured by softer cash prices and the beginning of seasonally lower wholesale beef values.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of 65¢ lower.

Except for 50¢ higher in the back contract, Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1 lower, from 55¢ lower to $1.42 lower in spot Sep.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 76¢ lower Wednesday afternoon at $227.58/cwt. Select was 93¢ lower at $213.82.

Corn futures closed mostly 1¢ higher.

Soybean futures closed mostly 7¢ to 8¢ higher.