Cattle prices fall; lower slaughter supports boxed beef

Two consecutive days of sharply lower futures allowed packers to push cash cattle prices down. In the north, live sales dropped to as low as US$/cwt 240, with weekly trade ranging from US$/cwt 240–245, US$/cwt 4–8 lower. Dressed sales were mostly at US$/cwt 383–384, down US$/cwt 5. In the south, most transactions were reported at US$/cwt 244, also US$/cwt 5 lower, according to The AG Center.