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Beef Brief-April 3, 2024

Posted April 3, 2024

Week ending March 29, 2024

This week, cash prices for all classes were lower, as well as for corn. Trade in the South was $2 lower on fat cattle at $186, with northern trade being $1 lower at $189. Live cattle futures closed at $2.50 to $3.30 lower and carcass weights remained the same. On the national average, feeder cattle were $0.44 lower at $259.49 with trade mostly $4 lower to $1 higher. The stocker market was also lower by $0.72, trading at $324.36 with a range of mostly $6 lower to $2 higher.

The Choice cutout was $4 lower at $306.72 while the Select cutout was $1.96 higher at $303.43. The Choice/Select spread was narrower by $5.96 from the previous week with a $3.29 difference.

Slaughter cows were up, trading at $2 to $6 higher. Total meat production was lower by 3.4% from a week ago.