At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live and feeder cattle ended the day higher ahead of widespread direct cash business with additional support from the strength in boxed beef prices.  February live cattle closed $.95 higher at $116.57 and April live cattle closed $1.02 higher at $122.22.  March feeder cattle closed $1.80 higher at $140.37 and April feeder cattle closed $2.15 higher at $144.75. 

Direct cash cattle trade activity improved on Wednesday.  There was a very light, scattered trade at mostly $114 live in the South, fully steady with last week’s weighted averages and $181 dressed, about $.50 higher than the previous week’s business.   

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