It’s another quiet start for direct cash cattle trade activity.  Bids and asking prices are slow to surface.  If this week follows the recent trend, significant trade volume could hold out until sometime Thursday or Friday. 

Boxed beef is sharply higher at midday on solid demand for strong offerings.  Choice is $2.24 higher at $272.19 and Select is $2.87 higher at $259.09.  The Choice/Select spread is $13.11. 

At the Callaway Livestock Center in Missouri, 450 to 500-pound steer calves were steady to $5 lower, steers 500 to 550 pounds were not well tested, steers 550 to 700 pounds were firm to $3 higher with spots of $5 higher on 6-weight steers, a pot load of 850-pound steers was not well tested, but sold with a firm undertone. 

…