Chicago | Reuters—Chicago Mercantile Exchange feeder cattle futures dropped on Wednesday, while live cattle rose in a turnaround from losses during the previous session, according to analysts.
CME November feeder cattle FCX24 ended down 0.975 cent at 245.500 cents per pound as rising corn prices signaled higher costs for livestock feed.
Corn futures advanced at the Chicago Board of Trade following a large U.S. grain sale to Mexico.
CME December live cattle futures LCZ24 settled up 0.075 cent at 186.600 cents per pound.
Live cattle futures bounced back somewhat from a fall on Tuesday, as boxed beef values added support, said Austin Schroeder, a commodity analyst with Brugler Marketing.
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As the harvest in southern Alberta presses on, a broker said that is one of the factors pulling feed prices lower in the region. Darcy Haley, vice-president of Ag Value Brokers in Lethbridge, added that lower cattle numbers in feedlots, plentiful amounts of grass for cattle to graze and a lacklustre export market also weighed on feed prices.
The choice boxed beef cutout rose $2.30 to $319.13 per hundredweight, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Select boxed beef prices gained $0.28 to $297.37 per cwt.
Higher beef prices helped to boost margins for beef packers, which were estimated to be making $39.60 per head on Wednesday. That was up from $17.90 per head on Tuesday and losses of $29.20 per head a week ago, according to livestock marketing advisory service HedgersEdge.
In the pork market, CME December lean hog futures LHZ24 rose 2.5 cents to finish at 77.700 cents per pound.
“The funds have been building a fairly lofty net long position in the hogs, so they may be defending some of that position,” said Schroeder.
