Live cattle futures settled the Wednesday session with contracts down 2 to 37 cents in the front months and up 7 to 22 cents in the deferreds. This morning’s Fed Cattle Exchange online auction from Central Stockyards showed no sales on 2,510 head listed, with bids of $184-188.Bids outside of that have been running $185.  Feeder cattle futures were mixed, with November down 35 cents and other contracts up 7 to 90 cents. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was down 62 cents at $249.02 on November 12. 

USDA wholesale Boxed Beef prices were lower in the Wednesday afternoon report. Choice boxes were down $1.33 to $306.94/cwt, with Select $1.26 lower @ $278.66. The Chc/Sel spread narrowed to $28.28. USDA estimated the Wednesday federally inspected cattle slaughter at 125,000 head, with the weekly total at 358,000 head. That was 11,000 head below the previous week and down 18,418 head from the same week last year.

Dec 24 Live Cattle  closed at $184.025, down $0.375,

Feb 25 Live Cattle  closed at $186.075, down $0.050,

Apr 25 Live Cattle  closed at $187.675, down $0.025,

Nov 24 Feeder Cattle  closed at $246.475, down $0.350,

Jan 25 Feeder Cattle  closed at $243.650, up $0.075,

Mar 25 Feeder Cattle  closed at $242.200, up $0.475,