Cattle futures strengthened Friday on the back of the week’s sharply higher fed cattle prices.

Live cattle futures closed an average of $2.06 higher. Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $3.42 higher.

From Monday through Friday, Live Cattle futures closed an average of $5.51 higher. Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $10.72 higher.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ranged from limited on moderate demand to moderate-to-heavy on good demand through Friday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

For the week, FOB live prices were $4 higher in the Texas Panhandle at $228/cwt., $4-$5 higher in Kansas at $228-$230, $8-$10 higher in Nebraska at $240 and $5-$6 higher in the western Corn Belt at $235-$240. Dressed delivered prices were $12 higher at $380.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $6.02 lower Friday afternoon at $378.64. Select was $4.37 lower at $366.49.

Estimated total cattle slaughter last week of 568,000 head was 94,000 head more than the previous week but 37,000 head fewer than the same week last year. Estimated year-to-date total cattle slaughter of 15.6. million head was 1.1 million head fewer (-6.5%) than the same period a year ago. Estimated year-to-date beef production of 13.6 billion pounds was 473.6 million pounds less (-3.4%).

Grain and Soybean futures were lower Friday.

Corn futures closed mostly 2¢ to 4¢ lower, despite lower estimated stocks in the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (see below) with traders apparently banking on yields higher than current USDA estimates.

Kansas City Wheat futures closed 8¢ to 10¢ lower. Soybean futures closed 4¢ to 8¢ lower.

Cattle futures were mixed to higher Thursday with Feeder Cattle receiving additional support from reclosure of the southern border to Mexican cattle imports due to New World screwworm.

Toward the close, Live cattle futures were mixed, from an average of 45¢ lower to an average of 24¢ higher. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $1.02 higher.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ranged from limited on moderate demand in the western Corn Belt to mostly inactive on moderate demand elsewhere through Thursday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. Although too few to trend, there were some early FOB live trades in the western Corn Belt at $235/cwt.

Last week, FOB live prices were $224/cwt. in the Texas Panhandle, $224-$225 in Kansas, $230-$232 in Nebraska and $230-$234 in the western Corn Belt. Dressed delivered prices were $368.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.79 lower Thursday afternoon at $384.66. Select was $2.41 lower at $370.86.

Grain and Soybean futures firmed Thursday with likely short covering ahead of Friday’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates.

Toward the close and through Mar ‘26 contracts, Corn futures were mostly 4¢ lower to 1¢ higher. Kansas City Wheat futures were 10¢ higher. Soybean futures were mostly 3¢ to 7¢ higher.  

Cattle futures continued mainly higher Wednesday, with positive outside markets and growing optimism about cash fed cattle prices this week.

Toward the close, Live cattle futures were an average of $1.06 higher. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $1.60 higher.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was mostly inactive on moderate demand in all major cattle feeding regions through Wednesday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Last week, FOB live prices were $224/cwt. in the Texas Panhandle, $224-$225 in Kansas, $230-$232 in Nebraska and $230-$234 in the western Corn Belt. Dressed delivered prices were $368.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $6.59 lower Wednesday afternoon at $386.45. Select was $5.19 lower at $373.27.

Grain futures firmed Wednesday on likely short covering, while Soybean futures kept searching for a bottom.

Toward the close and through Mar ‘26 contracts, Corn futures were 1¢ to 2¢ higher. Kansas City Wheat futures unchanged to 4¢ higher. Soybean futures closed 5¢ to 13¢ lower.

Cattle futures bounced higher Monday, supported by another day of lower Corn futures, the post-holiday bounce in wholesale beef values and thoughts that cash fed cattle prices could improve this week.

Toward the close, Live cattle futures were an average of $2.40 higher.

Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $5.04 higher.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was mostly inactive on moderate demand in all major cattle feeding regions through Tuesday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Last week, FOB live prices were $224/cwt. in the Texas Panhandle, $224-$225 in Kansas, $230-$232 in Nebraska and $230-$234 in the western Corn Belt. Dressed delivered prices were $368.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $2.06 higher Tuesday afternoon at $393.04. Select was 93¢ higher at $378.46.

Grain and Soybean futures were lower again Tuesday, pressured once more by favorable weather and trade uncertainty.

Toward the close and through Mar ‘26 contracts, Corn futures were 4¢ to 6¢ lower. Kansas City Wheat futures were 3¢ to 4¢ lower. Soybean futures were 3¢ to 10¢ lower.

Cattle futures closed higher Monday, buoyed by firmer cash fed cattle prices as last week progressed and by sharply lower Corn futures.

Toward the close, Live cattle futures were an average of $1.70 higher (62¢ higher at the back to $2.20 higher). Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $3.46 higher (72¢ higher in the back contract to $4.57 higher toward the front).

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was inactive on moderate demand in all major cattle feeding regions through Monday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Last week, FOB live prices were mainly steady in the Texas Panhandle at $224/cwt., steady to $1 lower in Kansas at $224-$225, steady in Nebraska at $230-$232 and unevenly steady in the western Corn Belt at $230-$234. Dressed delivered prices were steady in Nebraska at $368 and steady to $2 lower in the western Corn Belt at $368 in a light test.

The five-area direct weighted average FOB fed steer price last week was just 8¢ lower at $229.43/cwt. The dressed delivered fed steer price was 22¢ lower at $369.30.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.23 higher Monday afternoon at $390.98. Select was 91¢ lower at $377.53.

Estimated total cattle slaughter of 474,000 head was 47,000 head fewer than the same week a year ago. Estimated year-to-date total cattle slaughter of 15.1 million head was 1 million head fewer (-6.5%) than the same time last year. Estimated year-to-date beef production of 13.1 billion pounds was 456.4 million pounds less (-3.4%).

Grain and Soybean futures were lower Monday, pressured by favorable weather and trade uncertainty.

Toward the close and through Mar ‘26 contracts, Corn futures were mainly 11¢ to 16¢ lower. Kansas City Wheat futures were mostly 7¢ to 13¢ lower. Soybean futures were 19¢ to 28¢ lower.

Cattle closed mainly higher Thursday, supported by another day of bullish outside markets.

Live cattle futures closed an average of 90¢ higher. Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 52¢ higher, except for an average of 6¢ lower in the back two contracts. From last Thursday to the previous Friday, Live Cattle futures closed an average of $1.06 higher and Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 88¢ higher, except for 27¢ lower in the back contract.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was limited on moderate demand in all major cattle feeding regions through Thursday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

For the week, FOB live prices were mainly steady in the Texas Panhandle at $224/cwt., mostly $1 lower in Kansas at $224, steady in Nebraska at $230-$232 and unevenly steady in the western Corn Belt at $230-$233. Dressed delivered prices were steady in Nebraska at $368. Dressed delivered prices in the western Corn Belt the previous week were $368-$370.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $5.11 lower Thursday afternoon at $389.75. Select was $1.87 lower at $378.44.

Grain and Soybean futures were mixed Thursday.

Corn futures closed mainly 1¢ to 3¢ higher. Kansas City Wheat futures closed mostly 2¢ to 4¢ lower. Soybean futures closed 1¢ to 5¢ higher.

Cattle futures bounced back Wednesday and recovered about half of the previous session’s losses which were tied to the kneejerk reaction to USDA’s announced plans to begin reopening the Mexican border to cattle imports as soon as next week.

Toward the close, Live cattle futures were an average of $1.58 higher.  Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $2.50 higher, except for $2.05 lower in the back contract.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was light on moderate demand in the north through Wednesday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. FOB live prices were steady to $2 lower in Nebraska at mostly $230/cwt. and $2 lower in the western Corn Belt at $230. Dressed delivered prices last week were mostly $368 in Nebraska and $368-$370 in the western Corn Belt.

Elsewhere, trade was inactive on light demand. FOB live prices last week were $223-$225/cwt. in the Texas Panhandle and $222-$225 in Kansas.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 74¢ lower Wednesday afternoon at $394.86. Select was 25¢ higher at $380.31.

Grain and Soybean futures were higher Wednesday with likely short covering and positioning ahead of the holiday weekend, also supported by positive trade news, given the U.S. deal with Vietnam.

Toward the close and through Mar ‘26 contracts, Corn futures were 10¢ to 12¢ higher. Kansas City Wheat futures were 9¢ to 12¢ higher. Soybean futures were 17¢ to 25¢ higher.

Cattle futures closed sharply lower Tuesday in response to USDA’s announced plans to begin reopening the Mexican border to cattle imports as soon as next week.

Toward the close, Live cattle futures were an average of $2.50 lower. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $4.73 lower.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was inactive on light demand in all major cattle feeding regions through Tuesday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Last week, FOB live prices were $223-$225/cwt. in the Texas Panhandle, $222-$225 in Kansas, $230-$232 in Nebraska  and $230-$233.50 in the western Corn Belt. Dressed delivered prices were mostly $368 in Nebraska and $368-$370 in the western Corn Belt.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 4¢ higher Tuesday afternoon at $395.60. Select was $4.04 lower at $380.06.

Grain and Soybean futures were mixed Tuesday.

Toward the close and through Mar ‘26 contracts, Corn futures were mostly 3¢ lower, pressured by crop progress and weather. Kansas City Wheat futures were 4¢ higher on short covering. Soybean futures were mostly fractionally higher.

Cattle futures built on the previous session’s gains Monday, supported once again by stronger outside markets and stronger cash fed cattle prices at the end of last week.

Toward the close, Live cattle futures were an average of $1.04 higher. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $2.34 higher.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was inactive on light demand in all major cattle feeding regions through Monday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

Last week, FOB live prices were $3-$5 lower in the Texas Panhandle at $223-225/cwt., $3-$6 lower in Kansas at $222-$225, $5 lower in Nebraska at $230-$232 and $3-$6 lower in the western Corn Belt at $230-233.50. Dressed delivered prices were mainly $8 lower in Nebraska at mostly $368 (a few up to $373.50) and $6-$8 lower in the western Corn Belt at $368-$370.

The five-area direct weighted average FOB live fed steer price was $5.37 lower last week at $229.51. The weighted averaged dressed delivered fed steer price was $7.05 lower at $369.52.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was 93¢ lower Monday afternoon at $395.56. Select was $1.17 higher at $384.10.

Grain futures were lower Monday with none of the hoped-for support from the Acreage and Grain Stocks reports.

Toward the close and through Mar ‘26 contracts, Corn futures were fractionally lower to 2¢ lower after 3¢ higher in spot Jly. Kansas City Wheat futures were 5¢ to 10¢ lower. Soybean futures were mostly 1¢ to 3¢ higher after 2¢ lower in the front two contracts.

Cattle futures closed higher Friday, supported by stronger outside markets and resilient Choice wholesale beef values.

Live cattle futures were an average of $2.55 higher ($1.45 higher at the back to $4.10 higher toward the front). Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $4.04 higher. Week to week on Friday, Live Cattle futures closed an average of $2.12 higher and Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $4.97 higher.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ranged from light to moderate in the western Corn Belt to light on moderate demand elsewhere through Friday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

For the week, FOB live prices were $3-$5 lower in the Southern Plains at $223-225/cwt., $5-$7 lower in Nebraska at $230 and $3-$6 lower in the western Corn Belt at $230-233. Dressed delivered prices were $8 lower in Nebraska at $368 (a few up to $373.50) and $6-$8 lower in the western Corn Belt at $368-$370.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.44 higher Friday afternoon at $396.49. Select was $3.19 higher at $382.93.

Estimated total cattle slaughter last week of 560,000 head was the same as the previous week but 50,000 head fewer than the same week last year. Year-to-date estimated total cattle slaughter of 14.6 million head was 998,000 head fewer (-6.4%). Estimated year-to-date beef production of 12.7 billion pounds was 424 million pounds less (-3.2%) than the same time last year.

Grain and Soybean futures closed higher Friday with short covering and likely positioning ahead of Monday’s Acreage and Grain Stocks reports.

Corn futures were 4¢ to 7¢ higher through new-crop contracts and then 1¢ to 2¢ higher. Kansas City Wheat futures were 2¢ lower to fractionally higher through May ’26 and then 1¢ to 3¢ higher. Soybean futures were mostly 6¢ to 8¢ higher.