Direct cash cattle trade activity remains quiet.  It appears buyers and sellers are in a standoff.  Bids are at $175 live in Texas with asking prices around $180 to $182 live in the South and $295-plus dressed in the North.  Business for the week has been sporadic with live deals in the South marked at $175 to $178 and dressed deals in the North have been at $287 to $295.

Boxed beef is mixed at midday with light to moderate demand for solid offerings.  Choice is $3.29 lower at $307.69 and Select is $1.75 higher at $282.85.  The Choice/Select spread is $24.84. 

At the Mitchell Livestock Auction in South Dakota, feeder steers up to 1000 pounds were sharply higher, and steers 1000 to 1100 pounds were $8 to $15 higher. 

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