Direct cash cattle business is off to a strong start.  Live deals in the South are marked at $171, steady in Kansas and $1 higher than the prior week’s weighted averages.  Dressed deals in Nebraska are at $284 to $285, $3 to $4 higher than the previous week’s weighted average basis.  Asking prices are firm at $174 live in the South and $287 dressed in the North.  Business for the week got underway on Tuesday with a handful of deals reported in Nebraska at $280 and in Texas at $170.

…