Market News

Friday midday cash livestock markets

 

At midday on Friday, direct cash cattle markets are quiet. Packers may have been short bought to start out the week, but that didn’t motivate any early direct cash trade. Asking prices are holding at $163 to $164 in the South and $258 to $260 in the North. Opening bids are $160 Live and $248 to $252 Dressed. For the week ending May 16th, DTN says cattle carcass weights were lower from the previous week, but still well above a year ago. All cattle averaged 815 pounds, with steers at 867 and heifers at 797.

At the Douglas County Livestock Auction in Ava, Missouri, compared to the previous week, feeder steers were $2 to $12 higher and feeder heifers were steady to $2 higher. Demand was reported as good and the supply was moderate. 700 to 800 pound feeder steers sold at $226.50 to $237.50. 600 to 700 pound feeder heifers brought $219 to $231. 500 to 550 pound feeder bulls ranged from $250 to $272. Slaughter cows brought mostly $90 to $119, with good kind as high as $130, and slaughter bulls sold at $127 to $161. Bred cows from 2 to 7 years of age in the 1st to 3rd stage of pregnancy ranged from $1,825 to $2,200 per pair. Cow-calf pairs from 2 to 7 years of age with some back at the 1st stage of pregnancy sold at $2,650 to $3,000 per pair.

Boxed beef cutout values were sharply lower. Choice was down $4.14 at $255.11 and Select was $3.17 lower at $243.57.

Cash hog markets are mixed. Morning business this week has been slow to develop and processing margins aren’t attractive. However, market ready numbers are tighter, so packers may need to raise bids to get the needed supplies.

National Direct barrows and gilts opened $2.06 lower at $68 to $80.50 for a weighted average of $77.48. The Eastern Cornbelt is down $.61 at $68 to $78 with an average of $77.17, the Western Cornbelt is $1.58 lower at $73.75, and Iowa/Southern Minnesota had no recent comparison with a range of $73.75 to $80.50 for a weighted average of $79.64. Butcher hogs at the Midwest cash markets are steady at $53 to $55. The Missouri Direct base carcass meat price is steady to $2 higher at $74 on light to moderate supply and demand. Missouri sows are steady at $20 to $30.

The pork carcass cutout value at midday was up $1.45 at $86.08. Butts and hams were lower, all other primals were higher.