Cattle futures closed lower Friday with likely technical selling and profit taking ahead of the three-day weekend magnified by confirmation of more cases of New World screwworm (NWS) near the Texas border and an unconfirmed rumor of a case discovered on this side of the U.S. border.

Live Cattle futures closed an average of $3.55 lower. Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $7.23 lower.

Week to week on Friday, Live Cattle futures closed mixed, from an average of 5¢ lower in four contracts (mostly up front), to an average of 28¢ higher. During the same period, Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $1.16 higher (17¢ to $1.95 higher), except for 85¢ lower in the back contract.

Weekly negotiated cash fed cattle trade got underway Friday with prices mainly steady to higher.

Through the afternoon, trade ranged from moderate to active on good demand in Nebraska and was  moderate on good demand in Kansas and the western Corn Belt.

FOB live prices were steady to $1 higher in Kansas at $233/cwt., $1 higher in Nebraska at $233 and steady in the western Corn Belt at mostly $232. Dressed delivered prices were steady in Nebraska at mostly $365 and steady to $2 lower in the western Corn belt at mostly $363-$365.

Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.62 higher Friday afternoon at $362.38/cwt. Select was 48¢ higher at $360.19.

Estimated total cattle slaughter last week of 562,000 head was 9,000 head more than the previous week but 39,000 head fewer (-6.5%)than the same week last year. Year-to-date estimated total cattle slaughter of 1.3 million head was 220,000 head fewer (-14.9%) than the same time last year.

Estimated beef production last week of 503.4 million pounds was 10.1 million pounds more than the previous week but 21.2 million pounds less (-4.0%) than the same week last year. Estimated year-to date beef production of 1.1 billion pounds was 163.9 million pounds less (-12.7%).

Grain and Soybean futures closed higher on Friday with likely short covering and positioning ahead of the three-day weekend.

Corn futures closed 2¢ to 4¢ higher through Jly ’27, perhaps also supported by lingering doubts about USDA’s high yield estimates. However, they were down an average of 18’4¢ through the front six contracts week to week on Friday, pressured by USDA’s continued high yield estimates in the January World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates.

KC HRW Wheat futures closed 8¢ to 10¢ higher with an added boost from weather premium tied to weekend weather forecasts.

Soybean futures closed mostly 4¢ higher.