Cattle Rally on Thursday with Cash Strength

Live cattle futures closed the Thursday session with contracts $2.30 to $3.57 higher, following the rallying cash market. There were no new deliveries on Thursday. Cash trade picked up on Thursday with $230 trade across the country reported. Feeder cattle futures were $4.60 to $5.02 higher in the nearbys. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was back up $1.44 to $345.47 on December 10. 

Export sales data showed just 3,863 MT of beef sold for 2025 in the week of 11/13, with 2,922 MT for 2026 delivery. Combines sales of 6.785 were the lowest since August. Shipments were a 15-week high at 13,907 MT.

September beef exports totaled 180.25 million lbs according to Census data converted to a carcass basis, which was the lowest total for that month since 2015 and the lowest for any month since February 2016. Imports (not converted to a carcass basis) totaled 139,656.8 MT, which was slightly below the same month last year and a 5% drop from August. 

USDA Wholesale Boxed Beef prices were lower in the Thursday afternoon report, with the Chc/Sel spread widening to $14.65. Choice boxes were down $1.25 to $358.11, while Select was $1.42 lower at $343.46. USDA federally inspected cattle slaughter was estimated at 123,000 head for Thursday, with the weekly total at 484,000. That was 9,000 head above last week but 4,644 head shy of the same week last year. 

Dec 25 Live Cattle  closed at $230.375, up $3.575,

Feb 26 Live Cattle  closed at $230.950, up $2.425,

Apr 26 Live Cattle  closed at $230.675, up $2.300,

Jan 26 Feeder Cattle  closed at $343.400, up $5.025,

Mar 26 Feeder Cattle  closed at $337.675, up $4.850,

Apr 26 Feeder Cattle  closed at $336.575, up $4.675,