Cash cattle country is off to a sluggish start Thursday with asking prices around $189 to $191 in the South, but still not fully established in the North. Bids remain elusive, but packer inquiry is expected to improve as the day progresses. Significant trade volume could be delayed until sometime on Friday.

Boxed beef cutout values were mixed at midday with Choice up $.81 at $314.43 and Select down $.28 at $302.20. The Choice/Select spread was $12.23

At Winter Livestock in Dodge City, Kansas, feeder steers under 700 pounds were not well tested with over 700 pounds selling unevenly steady.

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