Chicago mercantile exchange cattle futures fell to end the week. Hog futures were also mostly down.
Most-active February live cattle futures closed at 233.725 cents a pound, down 1.550 cents. April futures settled down 1.550 cents at 234.675 cents a pound.
Most-traded March feeder cattle futures lost 3.025 cents to close at 354.700 cents a pound. April contracts settled at 353.050 cents a pound, down 3.575 cents.
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Choice boxed beef ended the afternoon at $356.70 per cwt, up $2.51. Select beef gained $2.78 per cwt to close at $352.06 per cwt.
The USDA agency has reported 13 cases of New World screwworm in Mexico since the beginning of the year, including one in a seven-year-old bovine in the state of Tamaulipas on January 5, according to an updated list of cases on its website. There have now been three cases reported in Tamaulipas state, which borders southern Texas, since December 26, the USDA’s list showed.
Mexican officials reported that active cases of screwworm dropped to 492 as of January 7, from 1,145 registered on December 10.
The U.S. has kept its border mostly closed to Mexican cattle since May to keep out the parasite.
Most-active February lean hog contracts lost 0.575 cents to settle at 85.300 cents a pound. April contracts lost 0.150 cents and closed at 91.775 cents per pound.
Pork carcass cutout value fell by $1.50 to $90.79 per cwt, the USDA reported.
-With files from Reuters
