A quiet start to direct cash cattle trade in the new year.  Bids and asking prices have yet to be established.  It’s likely significant trade volume will be delayed until the second half of the week.  The bulk of last week’s trade took place on Wednesday and Thursday.  Southern live deals ranged from $111 to $112, $1 to $2 higher than the prior week’s weighted averages.  Northern dressed deals had a range of $175 to $176, $3 to $4 higher than the prior week’s weighted average basis in Nebraska. 

…