At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live and feeder cattle were sharply lower ahead of the week’s direct business with additional pressure from the lower boxed beef. Just live cattle closed $2 lower at $172.85 and August lives closed $1.90 lower at $170.65.  May feeder cattle closed $2.92 lower at $236.52 and August feeder cattle closed $2.50 lower at $247.60.

Direct cash cattle trade activity was quiet Wednesday.  Bids surfaced at $184 to $185 live in the North. 

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