It’s a quiet start to Friday for direct cash cattle business.  Asking prices for what’s left on showlists are around $180-plus live in the South and $296-plus dressed in the North.   Some additional trade could trickle in before the end of the day, but it’s likely the bulk of the week’s business is wrapped.  Southern live deals this week have been at $178 to mostly $179, about $1 lower than the previous week’s weighted averages.  Northern dressed deals have had a range of $292 to $298, mostly $295, steady to $1 lower than the prior week’s weighted average basis in Nebraska. 

Boxed beef is higher at midday on solid demand for light offerings.  Choice is $1.56 higher at $315.70 and Select is $1.49 higher at $287.75.  The Choice/Select spread is $27.95. 

At the Paris Stockyards in Kentucky, feeder steers under 600 pounds were $1 to $3 higher.  Feeder steers over 600 pounds were $1 to $2 lower.  Feeder heifers were steady to $2 higher.  The USDA says there was good demand for feeder classes.  Receipts were up on the week and the year.  Feeder supply included 49% steers and 73% of the offering was over 600 pounds.  Medium and Large 1 feeder steers 610 to 635 pounds brought $264 to $272 and feeder steers 958 to 973 pounds brought $228.50 to $229.50.  Medium and Large 1 feeder heifers 600 to 645 pounds brought $220 to $237 and feeder heifers 719 pounds brought $144. 

Cash hogs are higher at midday with very light negotiated purchases. 

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