It’s another very quiet start to the day for direct cash cattle business.  Bids and asking prices have yet to surface.  It’s likely significant trade volume could be delayed until midweek or later.  There were a handful of deals reported in Iowa on Monday at $285 to $288, while not near enough business to establish a trend, it’s about $2 to $5 below last week’s weighted average basis in Nebraska. 

Boxed beef is higher at midday on solid demand for light offerings.  Choice is $.46 higher at $306.44 and Select is $1.85 higher at $291.17.  The Choice/Select spread is $15.27. 

At the Joplin Regional Stockyards in Missouri, feeder steers under 450 pounds were $3 to $6 lower with heavier weights $2 to $4 higher. 

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