Live cattle futures rounded out the Monday session with contracts closing $1.75 to $2.35 higher. Cash trade was slow last week, with the South kicking things off at $181, down $2 on the week. Northern sales were light with $180-183 reported last week by the USDA. Feeder cattle futures were up $3.42 to $3.80 at the close. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was up $1.74 at $243.92 on September 6.  The weekly OKC Feeder Cattle Auction on Monday is estimated to have 10,500 head for sale, well above the previous sale and comparable with a year ago. Feeder steers were down $1-5, with steer and heifer calves down $5-10.

USDA wholesale Boxed Beef prices were mixed in the Monday PM report. Choice boxes were down 20 cents @ $3098.52, with Select $2.37 higher at $298.49. The Chc/Select spread narrowed to $10.03. USDA estimated Monday’s federally inspected cattle slaughter at 114,000 head. That is well above the previous week due to the holiday but 7,407 head below the same week last year.

Oct 24 Live Cattle  closed at $176.925, up $1.750,

Dec 24 Live Cattle  closed at $176.800, up $2.100,

Feb 25 Live Cattle  closed at $177.750, up $2.350,

Sep 24 Feeder Cattle  closed at $237.725, up $3.425,

Oct 24 Feeder Cattle  closed at $234.725, up $3.775,

Nov 24 Feeder Cattle  closed at $231.825, up $3.800,