Live cattle futures were down $2.80 to $3.95 across the board on Thursday. Open interest was down 368 contracts on Thursday. Cash trade was reported at $350-355 dressed in the North with a few live bouts at $222-223 with a few $224 live bids in the South. The Thursday Fed Cattle exchange online auction showed no sales on the 1,514 head offered with $222-223 bids. Feeder cattle futures were $3.55 to $5.27 lower on the session. OI was up 709 contracts. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was up 43 cents on September 16 to $343.17.

Futures were pressured by the USDA announcing the opening of the Santa Teresa, NM border crossing next Thursday.

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Export Sales data from USDA showed beef sales for 2026 at 14,155 MT for the week ending on 9/10. That was a 5-week high. Shipments were tallied at 9,881 MT, the lowest total in a year.

USDA will release their monthly cattle on feed report on Friday, with August Placements seen 3.3% lower and marketings down 4%. September 1 cattle on feed inventory is estimated to be up 1.7% from a year ago.

Wholesale Boxed Beef prices were lower in the Thursday afternoon report, with the Chc/Sel at $20.27. Choice boxes were down $3.66 at $372.15, with Select $2.69 lower to $351.88. USDA estimated Federally inspected cattle slaughter for Thursday at 107,000 head, taking the weekly total to 420,000. That is well above the previous week due to the holiday but 43,870 head below the same week last year.

Oct 26 Live Cattle closed at $215.650, down $2.800,

Dec 26 Live Cattle closed at $216.250, down $3.950,

Feb 27 Live Cattle closed at $217.275, down $3.625,

Sep 26 Feeder Cattle closed at $334.825, down $3.650,

Oct 26 Feeder Cattle closed at $324.375, down $5.275,

Nov 26 Feeder Cattle closed at $318.650, down $4.450,

On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.