Another quiet start for direct cash cattle trade activity.  Asking prices have been stated at $156 to $157 live in the South, while the North has been slow to share.  Bids haven’t surfaced.  It’s likely significant trade volume will be delayed until midweek or later. 

Boxed beef was lower at midday on light demand for moderate offerings.  Choice is $1.18 lower at $253.35 and Select was $1.99 lower at $226.54.  The Choice/Select spread was $26.81. 

At the Callaway Livestock Center in Missouri, compared to last week 400-to-450-pound steer calves sold with a higher undertone on few comparisons, 450 to 500-pound steer calves sold mostly $5 to $8 lower compared to the previous week’s active market, steers 500 to 600 pounds were steady to firm and steers over 600 pounds were firm to higher. 

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