Live cattle futures have experienced notable declines on Friday, with losses ranging from $4.55 to $5.95. In the cash market, prices in the South have been reported at $208 this week, showing a decrease of $1 to $2 compared to the previous week. Northern sales have remained consistent but dropped by $1, falling between $212 and $213. Feeder cattle futures have also dipped significantly, showing reductions of $6.22 to $8.25 as the week comes to a close. According to the CME Feeder Cattle Index, there was a recovery of 66 cents on April 2, resulting in an average price of $291.93.
Amid developments in international trade, China has responded to tariffs imposed by the Trump administration by introducing a retaliatory tariff of 34% on all U.S. imports.
In the latest USDA report on National Wholesale Boxed Beef, there was a positive shift in pricing, with the Chc/Sel spread expanding to $21.06. Prices for Choice boxes increased by $1.04, reaching $339.41 per hundredweight, while Select boxes rose by 51 cents to hit $318.35. The USDA’s Thursday tally indicates that the federally inspected cattle slaughter is estimated at 124,000 head for that day, bringing the weekly total to 472,000 head. This figure is 13,000 head lower than the previous week and 2,460 head less than this time last year.
Current live cattle futures prices include:
– April 25 Live Cattle at $203.500, down $4.550
– June 25 Live Cattle at $198.825, down $5.875
– August 25 Live Cattle at $195.225, down $5.950
For feeder cattle, the prices are as follows:
– April 25 Feeder Cattle at $279.175, down $6.225
– May 25 Feeder Cattle at $274.950, down $8.175
– August 25 Feeder Cattle at $281.050, down $8.250
This information serves as an overview of the current market dynamics in the cattle industry, detailing the recent price movements in live and feeder cattle futures, as well as the cash market trends and USDA reports. The effects of international trade policies are also reflected in the fluctuations in the cattle market.
