Live cattle futures rallied another $1.20 to $1.70 on Friday, as October took the weekly gain to $3.60. Cash trade settled in this week at $240 in the South, with Northern sales of $237-238. The Friday morning Fed Cattle Exchange online auction from Central Stockyards saw $239-241 BidTheGrid™ sales on 183 of the 1,250 head offered. Feeder cattle futures posted Friday strength anywhere from 97 cents to $3.70, as September was back up $8.75 this week. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was back down $1.99 at $360.63 on September 18.

USDA’s monthly Cattle on Feed release from this afternoon showed August Placements down 9.92% at 1.78 million head, with August marketings 13.63% below last year at 1.571 million head. September 1 on feed was 1.05% below September 2024 at 11.08 million head.

CFTC data indicated managed money trimming their net long in live cattle futures and options by 3,256 contracts as of Tuesday, taking it to 127,747 contracts. In feeder cattle futures and options, specs were increasing their net long by 255 contracts to 25,891 contracts.

USDA Wholesale Boxed Beef prices are continuing the weaker trend in the Friday afternoon report, with the Chc/Sel spread at $22.13. Choice boxes were down $3.76 at $382.05, while Select was $1.39 lower to $359.92. USDA federally inspected cattle slaughter for this week was estimated at 552,000 head. That was 13,000 head below last week and 62,409 head lower vs. the same week in 2024.

Oct 25 Live Cattle  closed at $233.575, up $1.200,

Dec 25 Live Cattle  closed at $235.725, up $1.575,

Feb 26 Live Cattle  closed at $237.450, up $1.675,

Sep 25 Feeder Cattle  closed at $359.150, up $0.975,

Oct 25 Feeder Cattle  closed at $354.100, up $2.375,

Nov 25 Feeder Cattle  closed at $350.925, up $3.700,