Live cattle futures posted Monday gains of $1 to 1.40. Preliminary open interest was up 3,501 contracts on Monday. Cash trade has yet to see any movement this week but closed last week with the South coming in at $212-213 and Northern trade up to $217-218. 

Feeder cattle futures closed with gains of 50 cents to $1.275 in the nearbys on Monday. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was back up $3.83 on April 25, with the average price at $291.71. The weekly OKC feeder cattle auction shows an estimated 5,000 head for sale, which is slightly below the same week last year. Steers were up $5-10 from last week, with heifers $5-13 higher.

After threatening to limit imports of feeder cattle from Mexico due to the new world screwworm, USDA Secretary Rollins stated the US and Mexico have reached an agreement on actions to help limit the spread.

USDA’s Monday afternoon National Wholesale Boxed Beef report was higher, as the Chc/Sel widened to $17.65. Choice boxes were $6.29 higher at $342.77/cwt, with Select up $5.01 to $325.12. Federally inspected cattle slaughter was estimated at 104,000 head for Monday. That is 1,000 head below the Monday prior and down 5,648 head from the same week last year.

Apr 25 Live Cattle  closed at $215.650, up $1.400,

Jun 25 Live Cattle  closed at $209.600, up $1.350,

Aug 25 Live Cattle  closed at $205.325, up $1.225,

May 25 Feeder Cattle  closed at $291.800, up $1.275,

Aug 25 Feeder Cattle  closed at $294.950, up $0.650,

Sep 25 Feeder Cattle  closed at $294.075, up $0.525,