NATIONAL FEEDER & STOCKER CATTLE SUMMARY – WEEK ENDING 06/07/2025

By USDA-MO Dept of Ag Market News

RECEIPTS: Auctions Direct Video/Internet Total
This Week: 179,000 25,100 31,000 235,100
Last Week: 89,100 34,300 4,000 127,400
Year Ago: 168,200 29,000 6,300 203,500

Compared to last week's light auction trading, steers and heifers sold 8.00 to 12.00 higher in the South Central and North Central areas, while the Southeast sold unevenly steady.

Starting the week, demand was moderate to good and it progressively got better as the week went on.

Most auction markets are moving into their summer sale schedule of every other week or as needed in the Northern Plains.

Feeders started this week mixed with some spots trending lower on calves although yearlings were firm to higher.

As the week went on however the markets continued to gain strength seemingly each day. After the Memorial Day holiday typically the calf market finds some pressure as heat sets in, and grass buying is limited. That seemed to be the case early week but overall fundamentals of the lack of cattle across all sectors may prove that to be wrong this year.

The outlook for the grazing season has improved as the rains came to where they were desperately needed, and the grass is growing nicely. The market for all types of cattle is setting new chart highs and many market watchers are in awe at the most recent runup. Also in the past few weeks, feedlot sales continue to shoot upward as smaller than normal showlists with packers being competitive in areas they sometimes aren't.

The CME feed cattle index set a new record once again this week with the most recent value at 306.16, based roughly on an 800 lb. steer through the auction in the twelve-state region. This would be around 55.00 higher than a year ago.

Cattle producers are very bullish about the market going forward as the cash continues to outperform all expectations and the futures contracts aren't keeping pace with the rapidly rising cash market. Last week, the front four months of feeder cattle futures gained around 11.00, while June Live Cattle increased 10.825 and August LC was 9.825 higher.

To close last week, cash fed cattle was still near 10.00 over futures in the South Plains and 18.00 over in Nebraska.

Mid-week fed cattle sales started at 225.00 in the Southern Plains and progressively got higher until trade was finished up on Friday.

Negotiated sales of fed cattle in Kansas sold 3.00 to 13.00 higher at 225.00 to 235.00. In TX/OK/NM, live sales sold 2.00 to 9.00 higher at 225.00 to 232.00.

In Nebraska, live sales were 4.00 to 8.00 higher at 240.00 to 244.00; while dressed sales sold 10.00 to 15.00 higher at mostly 380.00.

For the week, Choice Boxed beef closed on Friday at 365.08, 1.26 lower and Select closed at 356.73, 0.08 higher.

Weekly Cattle Slaughter under federal inspection estimated at 582K, 105K more than last week and 28K less than a year ago.

Auction volume this week included 55% weighing over 600 lbs and 42% heifers.