Cattle futures closed mainly higher Friday, boosted by higher cash fed cattle prices and despite USDA announcing a National Milk Testing Strategy aimed at surveillance of the nation’s milk supply and dairy herds for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1.

Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.04 higher. Live Cattle futures closed an average of 39¢ higher, except for an average of 20¢ lower in two contracts.

Week to week on Friday, Live Cattle futures closed an average of $1.84 lower (60¢ to $2.60 lower). Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $3.15 lower during the same period.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ranged from light on light demand in the Texas Panhandle to slow on light demand in other regions through Friday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

For the week, FOB live prices were $1-$3 higher on a light test in the Texas Panhandle at $191/cwt., $1 higher in Kansas at $191, steady to $1 higher in Nebraska at $191-$192 and steady in the western Corn belt at $190.

Dressed delivered prices in the western Corn Belt were $297, which was from $3 higher to $8 lower. Prices in Nebraska the previous week were $295.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $4.20 higher Friday afternoon at $312.04/cwt. Select was 37¢ lower at $276.73.

Estimated total cattle slaughter last week of 614,000 head was 24,000 head fewer than the same week last year. Year-to-date estimated total cattle slaughter of 29.4 million head was 1.1 million head fewer (-3.6%). Estimated year-to-date beef production of 24.9 billion pounds was 108.3 million pounds less (-0.4%).

Grain and Soybean futures closed mixed Friday.

Corn futures closed mostly 2¢ to 4¢ higher, supported by weekly export sales and perhaps some betting on favorable adjustments in next week’s monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates.

Kansas City Wheat futures closed 1¢ higher through Dec ’25 and then mostly fractionally lower. Soybean futures closed mostly 1¢ to 2¢ lower.