Today’s Livestock Market Update

It was a lackluster day for the livestock complex as most of the contracts closed lower from a lack of fundamental support, and the cattle contracts closed significantly lower thanks to the USDA’s announcement that the border will reopen to Mexican cattle imports

LIVE CATTLE:

The live cattle complex rounded out the day lower as the market is less than pleased to hear the announcement from the USDA that Mexican cattle imports will resume, and that some ports will open as soon as July 5th. August live cattle closed $3.12 lower at $210.75, October live cattle closed $2.37 lower at $207.80 and December live cattle closed $2.30 lower at $208.35. Unfortunately, today’s lower close pushed the spot August contract back below its 40-day moving average as traders remain skeptical of overly supporting the futures market if the market’s fundamentals aren’t going to be supportive. No cash cattle trade developed throughout the day, but asking prices were noted in the South at $225 plus. Tuesday’s slaughter is estimated at 120,000 head, 2,000 head less than a week and a year ago.

Boxed beef prices closed mixed: choice up $0.04 ($395.60) and select down $4.04 ($380.06) with a movement of 108 loads (70.95 loads of choice, 20.26 loads of select, 9.17 loads of trim and 7.62 loads of ground beef).

WEDNESDAY’S CATTLE CALL:

Lower. Given that the board is lower and since it’s a holiday-shortened week, it’s unlikely that packers will show too much attention to the fed cash cattle market as they have some supply built up around them.

FEEDER CATTLE:

The feeder cattle complex traded lower all throughout the day as the market reacted negatively to the announcement from the USDA that the US would again be accepting Mexican cattle imports, and some as soon as July 5th. Although the reopening of the border is going to be done in phases and monitored heavily, and imported supplies won’t likely overwhelm the market anytime soon, the sheer announcement alone casted a bearish tone over the entire cattle complex as cattlemen and traders alike wonder if the reopening of the board will take away from some of the market’s top-side for domestic producers as buyers know that more supplies will eventually be available. 

August feeders closed $4.65 lower at $306.02, September feeders closed $4.97 lower at $305.65 and October feeders closed $5.10 lower at $303.42.  The CME feeder cattle index 6/30/2025: up $1.00, $315.07.