At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live cattle closed higher, and feeder cattle closed mostly higher ahead of widespread direct cash business.  Markets are also looking ahead to Friday’s Cattle on Feed numbers.  April live cattle closed $.22 higher at $120.57 and June live cattle closed $.60 higher at $119.20.  April feeder cattle closed $.15 lower at $137.57 and May feeder cattle closed $.30 higher at $142.77. 

Another sluggish day for direct cash cattle trade activity.  Bids and asking prices have been very elusive.  Showlists this week are mixed and significant trade volume will likely be delayed until midweek or later.  The Texas cash pool reported zero sales with bids ranging from $119 to $120.  Wednesday’s Fed Cattle Exchange has an offering of 4,673 head. 

At the Callaway Livestock Center in Missouri, compared to last week steer calves 450 to 500 pounds were steady to $3 lower, 500-to-550-pound steers were steady to $5 lower, and 550-to-600-pound steers were $4 to $8 lower.  Yearling steers were $3 to $4 lower.  Feeder heifers 400 to 500 pounds were steady to firm, 500 to 600 pounds heifers were $3 to $5 lower with 600 to 740 pounds heifer were mostly steady.  The USDA says demand was moderate to good on a heavy supply.  Receipts were up on the week and the year.  Feeder supply included 59 percent steers and 39 percent of the offering was over 600 pounds.  Medium and Large 1 feeder steers 557 to 586 pounds brought $162 to $176.25 and feeder steers 704 to 711 pounds brought $149 to $152.25.  Medium and Large 1 feeder heifers 450 to 494 pounds brought $160 to $169 and feeder heifers 707 to 713 pounds brought $140 to $142.50. 

Boxed beef closed higher on good demand for moderate offerings.

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