The cattle futures market experienced a downturn this week, with live and feeder cattle prices closing lower at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Meanwhile, the hog futures market saw a surge in demand, leading to higher cash hog prices across the Midwest. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in the cattle and hog markets, including details on direct cash cattle trade, feeder cattle auctions, boxed beef prices, and hog slaughter numbers.

Optimism Fuels Hog Market Gains

Cattle Futures Retreat Amid Steady Cash Trade

Cattle futures took a step back this week, with December live cattle closing $1.52 lower at $186.42 and February live cattle closing $1.57 lower at $187.05. November feeder cattle closed $1.10 lower at $245.50, and January feeder cattle closed $2.05 lower at $241.97. The decline in futures prices came despite a relatively steady direct cash cattle trade, with live deals marked at mostly $190 in the South and $188 to $190 live in the North, steady to $2 lower than the previous week.At the Philip Livestock Auction in South Dakota, feeder steers saw mixed results, with 400 to 450 pounds steady, 450 to 550 pounds $4 to $6 higher, and 550 to 650 pounds steady. Feeder heifers under 500 pounds were steady to $2 higher, while heifers 500 to 600 pounds were $4 to $6 higher and heifers 800 to 850 pounds were $3 higher. The USDA reported very good demand for several long strings and many load lots and packages of feeder steers and heifers, which all sold on a strong, active market.

Boxed Beef Prices Decline, Hog Futures Climb

Boxed beef closed lower, with Choice beef $1.17 lower at $319.44 and Select beef $0.64 lower at $289.32. The Choice/Select spread narrowed to $30.12. In contrast, lean hog futures ended the day mostly higher, with December lean hogs closing $1.55 higher at $84.37 and February lean hogs closing $0.32 higher at $85.70.The cash hog market saw a sharp increase, with barrows and gilts at the National Daily Direct closing $2.76 higher with a base range of $77 to $87.50 and a weighted average of $85.80. The Iowa/Minnesota and Western Corn Belt markets also saw significant gains, closing $3.61 and $2.97 higher, respectively.

Pork Values Climb, Hog Slaughter Steady

Pork values closed higher, up $0.41 at $101.48, with bellies leading the way. Hams, ribs, picnics, loins, and butts were all lower. Estimated hog slaughter was 488,000 head, down 1,000 on the week but up about 6,000 on the year.The strong demand for U.S. pork on the global market has been a bright spot, providing price support. However, concerns remain about the inconsistencies in domestic demand. Processors have been more aggressive in their procurement efforts, leading to the higher cash hog prices. The industry continues to monitor available supplies of market-ready hogs and hog weights, which are up slightly from the previous week and last year.