Cattle Current Market Update with Wes Ishmael
Cattle Current Podcast—Jan. 5, 2026
Cattle futures broke higher Friday buoyed by stronger negotiated cash fed cattle prices and a boost in wholesale beef values.
Live Cattle futures closed an average $3.58 higher. Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $7.91 higher. Week to week on Friday, Live Cattle futures closed an average of $6.63 higher, and Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $12.63 higher ($9.92 higher at the front to $13.98 higher at the back).
Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was limited on moderate demand in Kansas through Friday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. Although too few transactions to trend, there were some FOB live trades at $232/cwt.; price the previous week was $229.
Trade was light to moderate on moderate demand in the North. Based on the latest established trade, FOB live prices were $2 higher in Nebraska at $232 and steady to $2 higher in the western Corn Belt at $230-$232. Dressed delivered prices were $360, which was $4 higher in Nebraska and steady to $4 higher in the western Corn Belt.
Choice boxed beef cutout value was $2.52 higher Friday afternoon at $349.97/cwt. Select was $4.54 higher at $346.92. Week to week on Friday, Choice was $1.24 lower, but Select was $3.12 higher.
The grain complex continued lower on Friday, pressured by technical selling and favorable South American weather.
Soybean futures closed fractionally lower to 2¢ lower through Aug ’27. Corn futures closed 1¢ to 2¢ lower. KC HRW Wheat futures closed unchanged to fractionally mixed.





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