Direct cash cattle trade is quiet again today.  There are some early asking prices noted around $112 live in the South and $175 dressed in the North.  Bids remain elusive.  And it’s likely significant trade volume will be delayed until the latter half of the week. 

Boxed beef is sharply higher at midday on strong demand for moderate offerings.  Choice is $4.62 higher at $222.01 and Select is $5.54 higher at $207.91.  The Choice/Select spread is $14.11. 

At the close, at the Joplin Regional Stockyards in Missouri, compared to last week, steer calves and yearling steers were steady to $5 higher with 4-weight steer calves sharply higher.  Heifer calves and yearling heifers were steady.  The USDA says demand was moderate to good and supply was moderate.  Receipts were up on the week and down on the year.  Feeder supply included 58 percent steers and 45 percent of the offering was over 600 pounds.  Medium and Large 1 feeder steers 600 to 644 pounds brought $138 to $146 and feeder steers 762 to 795 pounds brought $136 to $144.50.  Medium and Large 1 feeder heifers 651 to 698 pounds brought $126 to $135 and feeder heifers 779 to 792 pounds brought $128 to $135. 

Cash hogs opened weak to lower with moderate negotiated numbers. 

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