Live Cattle futures closed an average of 15¢ higher, except for an average of 54¢ lower on either end of the board. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $1.64 higher, supported by strong cash trade.

Week to week on Friday, Live Cattle futures closed an average of $2.11 lower and Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $2.77 lower.

Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was inactive on very light demand in all major cattle feeding regions through Friday afternoon, with too few transactions to trend, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.

For the week, FOB live prices are steady to $1 lower in the Texas Panhandle at $190/cwt. and steady in other regions at $190. Dressed delivered prices were steady to $2 lower at $296-$298 in Nebraska and $298 in the western Corn Belt.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.26 lower Friday afternoon at $316.34/cwt. Select was 34¢ lower at $285.03. Week to week on Friday, Choice was $5.90 lower and Select was $10.05 lower.

Estimated total cattle slaughter last week of 615,000 head was 8,000 head fewer than the previous week and 21,000 head fewer than the same week last year. Year-to-date estimated total cattle slaughter of 26.4 million head was 1.0 million less (-3.8%) than the same period last year. Estimated year-to-date beef production of 22.3 billion pounds was 140.2 million pounds less (-0.6%).

Grain and Soybean futures were mixed Friday with support from recent export sales but continued harvest pressure and uncertainty surrounding the impending election.

Corn futures were 2¢ to 3¢ higher through Jly ’25 and then unchanged to fractionally mixed. Kansas City Wheat futures were 1¢ to 2¢ lower. Soybean futures were fractionally lower to 1¢ lower.