Live cattle futures were lower on Thursday, with contracts down $1.95 to $3.25 on the session. Preliminary open interest was down 9,799 contracts. Cash trade trickled in on Wednesday, with light action at $208 in the north, with some $204 in the South on Thursday, but not enough for a trend. Thursday morning’s Central Stockyards Fed Cattle Exchange showed no sales on the 1,450 head offered, with bids of $200. Feeder cattle futures closed with losses of 97 cents to $3.32 on Thursday. The CME Feeder Cattle Index fell back $3.32 on April 9, with the average price at $287.29.

Export Sales data tallied 11,855 MT of beef sold in the week ending on April 3, the highest in 4 weeks. South Korea was the buyer of 4,900 MT, with 3,300 MT sold to Japan. Shipments were reported at 15,065 MT, a 3-week high. Of that total, 5,500 MT was headed to South Korea, with 4,000 MT to Japan.

USDA’s National Wholesale Boxed Beef prices fell lower on Thursday afternoon, as the Chc/Sel widened back out to $19.33. Choice boxes were down $3.57 at $334.29/cwt, with Select $5.65 lower to $314.96. Thursday’s Federally inspected cattle slaughter was estimated at 114,000 head by the USDA, bringing the weekly total to 463,000 head. That was 9,000 head below the previous week and down 16,641 head from the same week last year.

Apr 25 Live Cattle  closed at $200.850, down $1.950,

Jun 25 Live Cattle  closed at $195.200, down $3.175,

Aug 25 Live Cattle  closed at $192.200, down $2.800,

Apr 25 Feeder Cattle  closed at $282.775, down $0.975,

May 25 Feeder Cattle  closed at $275.300, down $2.900,

Aug 25 Feeder Cattle  closed at $279.925, down $3.325,