Cattle prices stay firm, but more supply surfaces

Slaughter cattle prices held firm this week. Packers’ list prices are US$ 4.10 per kg carcass weight for regular steers and US$ 3.90 for cows, yet several deals were struck above those marks. One intermediary said big lots of heavy carcasses reached as high as US$ 4.20 per kg for regular males. Even so, another operator senses prices “have already peaked.” He reported “much more supply” from the Alto Chaco on Monday and Tuesday—cattle that had been delayed by poor road conditions—and said some plants are now booking for the last week of May and early June. “My impression is that prices will correct downward shortly,” he projected.