Cattle Current Market Update with Wes Ishmael
Sep 27, 2026 · 9 min · 7 segments
Cattle futures closed higher Friday and for the week with strength from tight numbers, higher cash feeder cattle prices and stronger wholesale beef values. Live Cattle futures were an average of…
Wes IshmaelHost
Cattle futures closed higher Friday and for the week with strength from tight numbers, higher cash feeder cattle prices, and stronger wholesale beef values.
Live cattle futures were an average of $1.28 higher, except for 20 cents lower in waning spot October.
Week-to-week on Friday, live cattle futures closed an average of $6.47 higher, and feared cattle futures were an average of $14.06 higher.
Negotiated cash-fed cattle trade was light on moderate demand in the north through Friday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.
Select was $3.66 higher at $355.76. Week-to-week on Friday, Choice was $6.89 higher, and Select was $2.50 higher.
Estimated total cattle slaughter last week of 484,000 head was 45,000 head fewer than the previous week and 75,000 head fewer than the same week last year.
Last week's ice raids disrupted production at some plants, magnifying recently slower packer production.
Year-to-date estimated total cattle slaughter of 20 million head was 1.7 million head fewer or 7.7% less than the same time last year.
Estimated year-to-date total beef production of 17.9 billion pounds was 1 billion pounds less or 5.3% less.
Soybean futures were mostly fractionally mixed from a penny lower to a penny higher.
Cattle futures closed higher Friday and for the week with strength from tight numbers, higher cash feeder cattle prices, and stronger wholesale beef values.
Live cattle futures were an average of $1.28 higher, except for 20 cents lower in waning spot October.
Week-to-week on Friday, live cattle futures closed an average of $6.47 higher, and feared cattle futures were an average of $14.06 higher.
Negotiated cash-fed cattle trade was light on moderate demand in the north through Friday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.
Select was $3.66 higher at $355.76. Week-to-week on Friday, Choice was $6.89 higher, and Select was $2.50 higher.
Estimated total cattle slaughter last week of 484,000 head was 45,000 head fewer than the previous week and 75,000 head fewer than the same week last year.
Last week's ice raids disrupted production at some plants, magnifying recently slower packer production.
Year-to-date estimated total cattle slaughter of 20 million head was 1.7 million head fewer or 7.7% less than the same time last year.
Estimated year-to-date total beef production of 17.9 billion pounds was 1 billion pounds less or 5.3% less.
Soybean futures were mostly fractionally mixed from a penny lower to a penny higher.
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