Market News

Midday cash livestock markets

It is only Thursday but there is a good chance the cash cattle market may be essentially done for the week. Cattle traded yesterday in the South at 164.00 steady with last week, and Northern business on a dressed basis was steady to 1.00 lower at 258.00 and live at 163.00 to 164.00. Cattle left on the showlists are priced around 165.00 in the South and 260.00 plus in the North.

Boxed beef cutout values are lower with the choice down 1.02 at 249.47, and select .12 lower at 235.32.

Feeder cattle receipts at the St. Joseph, Missouri Regional Stockyards totaled 1950 head on Wednesday. Compared to last week, steer and heifer calves under 550 pounds sold 5.00 to 8.00 lower, with instances on heifers of 10.00 to 12.00 lower. Yearling steers sold firm to 3.00 higher, with heifers trading on a light test with a firm undertone. Feeder steers medium and large 1 averaging 681 pounds averaged 266.51 per hundredweight. 676 pound fleshy heifers brought 234.00.

Barrows and gilts in the Iowa/Minnesota direct trade and the East are not reported due to confidentiality. The West is 2.07 lower at 100.29 weighted average on a carcass basis. Nationally the market is down 2.23 at 99.95. Missouri direct trade is not reported. Barrows and gilts at Midwest markets are steady to 1.00 to 2.00 lower from 72.00 to 78.00.

The pork carcass cutout value is down 3.26 FOB plant at 113.75, with only ribs higher.

Iowa barrows and gilts averaged 284.5 pounds last week, 0.3 pounds lighter than the previous week and only 7.5 pounds larger than 2013.