Cattle futures softened further Friday with week’s lower negotiated cash fed cattle prices.

Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of $1.04 lower. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $1.63 lower.

From Monday through Friday last week, Live Cattle futures closed an average of $4.12 lower, and Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $8.02 lower.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ranged from mostly inactive on light demand in the South to light on moderate demand in the North through Friday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

For the week, FOB live prices were mostly $7 lower in all regions at mainly $248/cwt. Dressed delivered prices were $10 lower at $393.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.87 higher Friday afternoon at $382.68/cwt. Select was $4.84 higher at 368.33. For the week, Choice was $3.80 lower and Select was $2.46 higher.

Estimated total cattle slaughter last week of 529,000 head was 71,000 head more than the previous holiday-shortened week, but 43,000 head fewer than the same week last year. Estimated year-to-date cattle slaughter of 14.3 million head was 1.3 million head fewer (-8.5%) than the same time last year. Estimated year-to-date beef production of 12.8 billion pounds was 800.5 million pounds less (-5.9%) than the same time a year earlier.

Grain and Soybean futures gained Friday with a mix of reaction to the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates and geopolitical factors.

Corn futures were mostly 6¢ to 10¢ higher through Jly ’27 and then mostly 2¢ to 3¢ higher, helped by lower global production estimates than expected. 

Soybean futures were mostly 9¢ to 16¢ higher through Jan ’27 and then fractionally higher to 7¢ higher with lower ending stock projections than expected and continued Chinese buying.

Kansas City HRW Wheat futures were mostly 19¢ to 22¢ higher on Russian export disruptions stemming from the war between the Ukraine and Russia.