Monday markets
It was a mixed day on the board for the cattle market.
Live cattle futures closed mixed with the December contract up 17 cents to $227.32 and the February contract down 47 cents to $224.67.
“The live cattle complex more or less held its breath through Monday’s trade, trying to wait and see what was going to develop fundamentally this week before traders decided whether or not they possess enough support to challenge the market’s resistance at its 40-day and 100-day moving averages,” wrote ShayLe Stewart, DTN livestock analyst, in her closing comments.
Cash trade for the day was light, with about 50 head sold. On the formula side, a total of 25,900 head averaging 940 lbs. averaged $347.39.
Cash trade for the week ending Dec. 7 totaled 78,833 head. Live steers averaged $221.50, and dressed steers averaged $342.39.
Slaughter for the day is estimated at 115,000 head, on pace with a week earlier. Total slaughter for a week earlier is projected at 600,000 head, compared to 498,000 head a week earlier (Thanksgiving week).
“Packers ran the fourth largest slaughter of 2025 at 600k head, which yielded the highest weekly beef production of 2025, but did not own enough cattle coming into the week,” wrote Cassie Fish, market analyst, in The Beef. “No wonder cash fed cattle prices were sharply higher. Packer margins were black last week and packers obviously were compelled to make the most of it by running extremely hard.”
Boxed beef prices were mixed, down 30 cents on the Choice cutout to $360.90 and up $1.21 to $348.60 on the Select cutout.
Feeder cattle
Feeder cattle futures were lower, down $3.40 on the January contract to $335.65 and down $2.87 to $330.42 on the March contract.
The CME Feeder Cattle Index gained $1.93 to close at $343.73.
Corn futures were modestly lower. The December contract lost less than a penny to $4.36, and the March contract lost a penny to close at $4.43.
Missouri: Joplin Regional Stockyards in Carthage sold 12,000 head on Monday. Compared to a week earlier, at the mid-session, feeder steers under 525 lbs. sold from $35-60 higher. Heavier weights sold $5-15 higher. Feeder heifers under 600 lbs. sold $10-30 higher, and heavier weights sold $5-10 higher. Benchmark steers averaging 772 lbs. sold from $335-359, averaging $342.79.
Oklahoma: Oklahoma National Stockyards in Oklahoma City sold 7,200 head on Monday. Compared to the previous sale, at the mid-session, feeder steers over 800 lbs. sold from $6-10 higher and under 800 lbs. sold $15-30 higher. Feeder heifers were lightly tested at $6-10 higher. Steer and heifer calves were $15-30 higher with spots up to $40 higher. Benchmark steers averaging 778 lbs. sold from $340-350.50, averaging $346.23. — Anna Miller Fortozo, WLJ managing editor
