Live cattle futures posted gains of between 32 and 57 cents at midday on April 25, with cash trade this week focused around $246 across the country. The Friday morning Fed Cattle Exchange showed bids of $245 to $246 for the 558 head offered, but no sales were reported. Feeder cattle futures also saw increases, ranging from 15 to 80 cents higher so far on Friday.
The performance of cattle markets is important for agricultural producers who rely on stable prices and market conditions. These trends affect both local economies and national supply chains.
According to the Thursday update from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), active cases of New World Screwworm in Mexico rose to 1,469 as of April 22, up by 74 cases since Tuesday. In Tamaulipas state bordering the U.S., there were reported to be 116 active cases—an increase of fourteen—while Nuevo Leon had eight active cases, three more than earlier in the week.
Wholesale Boxed Beef prices increased in Friday’s morning report. Choice boxes rose by $3.66 to reach $387.16, while Select was up by $2.38 at $384.96 per box, bringing Choice back to a premium over Select at about two dollars twenty cents difference. USDA estimated federally inspected cattle slaughter at 106,000 head for Thursday; the weekly total stood at 425,000 head—a decrease of four thousand from last week and nearly twenty-seven thousand below this time last year.
April live cattle contracts settled at $247.650 (up $0.575), June contracts reached $243.925 (up $0.425), August closed at $240.475 (up $0.325). Feeder cattle for April finished at $366.775 (up $.150), May feeder contracts hit $359.400 (up $.525), and August feeder contracts ended at $360.150 (up $.800).
Legacy Farmers Cooperative is a member-owned agricultural cooperative that formed through a merger and maintains operations in Findlay, Ohio, offering services such as grain marketing, agronomy and petroleum distribution to support farming needs; it employs staff across various divisions and contributes to community programs including agricultural education for youth according to the official website. The cooperative serves agricultural producers in ten counties throughout northwest Ohio according to its official website, supports community initiatives such as scholarships and county fairs according to its official website, operates facilities like grain centers and fuel stations according to its official website, has more than one hundred fifty employees according to its official website, aims to exceed customer expectations with value offerings according to its official website, and is structured as a member-owned entity according to its official website.
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