Live cattle futures are posting Friday midday gains of 85 cents to $1.20. A few cattle have exchanged hands this week at $195-195.50 in the North, steady from last week. Southern bids have been $191 so far. There were no sales reported on Friday’s Central Stockyard Fed Cattle Exchange, with bids running $188-191. Feeder cattle futures are back up 60 to 90 cents so far on the session. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was down 77 cents from the day prior at $262.23 on December 18.

USDA’s monthly Cattle on Feed report will be released this afternoon, with most expecting to see November placements down 5.1% from last year and marketing 1.8% below a year ago. December 1 on feed inventory is expected to be down 0.3% vs. 2023.

USDA wholesale Boxed Beef prices were lower in the Friday morning report. Choice boxes were back down $4.42 to $316.27/cwt, with Select 55 cents lower @ $283.56. USDA estimated Thursday’s federally inspected cattle slaughter at 121,000 head, taking the week to date total to 485,000 head. That is down 4,000 head from the previous week and 10,201 from the same week last year. 

Dec 24 Live Cattle  are at $191.250, up $0.900,

Feb 25 Live Cattle  are at $187.750, up $1.200,

Apr 25 Live Cattle  are at $189.450, up $0.850,

Jan 25 Feeder Cattle  are at $255.075, up $0.600

Mar 25 Feeder Cattle  are at $255.475, up $0.900

Apr 25 Feeder Cattle  are at $256.425, up $0.975