Cattle Current Market Update with Wes Ishmael
Whether you trade cattle once a year or every day, Cattle Current with Wes Ishmael helps you stay in the market with a daily morning snapshot of the previous day's market action and news shaping the market ahead. Cattle market highlights and commentary include: market news; cash calf and feeder cattle price trends at auction; relevant futures prices and trends; cash fed cattle prices; overview of the cash grain market; trends in major Equity indexes. Stay in the market.
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Cattle Current Podcast—Sept. 21, 2026
<p >Cattle futures sputtered Friday and ended the week lower with apparent squeamishness about the Cattle on Feed report that was published after the session and wonderment about the impact of next week’s resumption of Mexican feeder cattle imports through the port of entry at Santa Teresa, New Mexico Sept. 24. Turned out that the Cattle on Feed report was friendly (see below) and could support a bounce higher when the new week begins.</p> <p >Live Cattle futures closed an average of 42¢ lower, except for an average of 24¢ higher in the front three contracts. Feeder Cattle futures closed an aver...
Cattle Current Podcast—Sept. 18, 2026
<p >Cattle futures were lower again Thursday, with steady to lower negotiated cash fed cattle prices and likely positioning ahead of Friday’s Cattle on Feed report. Depending on the estimates considered, analysts expect August placements to be down about 3%, August marketing to be about 4% less and the Sept. 1 cattle on feed inventory to be about 2% higher year over year.</p> <p >Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of $3.52 lower. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $4.25 lower.</p> <p >Negotiated cash fed cattle trade was light-to-moderate on moderate demand in the North through Thursday afternoon, according to...
Cattle Current Podcast—Sept. 17, 2026
<p >Cattle futures softened further Wednesday, pressured by bearish outside markets, and likely profit taking as traders await the week’s negotiated cash fed cattle direction.</p> <p >Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of $2.79 lower. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $5.10 lower.</p> <p >Negotiated cash fed cattle was mostly inactive on light demand in the North through Wednesday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.</p> <p >Last week, FOB live prices were mostly $223-$224/cwt. in Nebraska and mostly $222-$223 in the western Corn Belt. Dressed delivered prices were mainly $350.</p> <p >Choice bo...
Cattle Current Podcast—Sept. 16, 2026
<p >Cattle futures were lower Tuesday with likely profit taking from the recent gains.</p> <p >Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of $1.70 lower. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $3.43 lower.</p> <p >Negotiated cash fed cattle was inactive on light demand in the North through Tuesday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.</p> <p >Last week, FOB live prices were steady to $6 higher in Nebraska at mostly $223-$224/cwt. and $3-$4 higher in the western Corn Belt at mostly $222-$223. Dressed delivered prices were mostly $5 higher at mainly $350.</p> <p >Choice boxed beef cutout...
Cattle Current Podcast—Sept. 14, 2026
<p >Cattle futures ended Friday and the week higher, supported by the step higher in negotiated cash fed cattle prices and lower grain futures.</p> <p >Live Cattle futures closed an average of $2.33 higher. Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of $4.56 higher. Week to week on Friday, Live Cattle futures closed an average of $6.35 higher, and Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $12.13 higher.</p> <p >Negotiated cash fed cattle was moderate on good demand in the North through Friday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.</p> <p >For the week, FOB live prices were $1-$6 higher in Nebraska...
Cattle Current Podcast—Sept. 11, 2026
<p>Cattle futures strengthened on Thursday, supported by stronger cash feeder cattle prices and thoughts that negotiated cash fed cattle prices could follow suit.</p> <p>Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of 84¢ higher, except for unchanged in two contracts.</p> <p>Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $1.74 higher.</p> <p>Negotiated cash fed cattle ranged from mostly inactive on light demand in Nebraska to mostly inactive on moderate demand in the western Corn Belt through Thursday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service.</p> <p>Last week, FOB live prices were $218-$223/cwt. in Nebraska a...
Cattle Current Podcast—Sept. 10, 2026
<p >Cattle futures mainly held or extended gains on Wednesday, in the face of another day of bearishness in outside markets.</p> <p >Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of 51¢ lower, except for an average of 12¢ higher in two contracts. They were an average of $3.46 higher Wednesday.</p> <p >Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $1.15 higher, except for an average of $1.00 lower in the back contract. They were an average of $4.85 higher on Wednesday.</p> <p >Negotiated cash fed cattle was mostly inactive on light demand in Nebraska and the western Corn Belt through Wednesday afternoon, ac...
Cattle Current Podcast—Sept. 7-8, 2026
<p >Cattle futures closed mixed Friday on caution ahead of the three-day weekend.</p> <p >Live Cattle futures closed an average of 99¢ lower, except for an average of 11¢ higher in the back three contracts.</p> <p >Feeder Cattle futures closed an average of 60¢ higher, except for an average of 85¢ lower in the front three contracts.</p> <p >Week to week on Friday, Live Cattle futures closed an average of 64¢ higher, from 7¢ higher toward the back to $1.22 higher in spot Oct. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $4.84 higher week to week on Friday.</p> <p >Negotiated cash fed cattle was limite...
Cattle Current Podcast—Sept. 4. 2026
<p >Cattle futures finally bounced higher Thursday, supported by oversold conditions and some renewed strength in cash prices.</p> <p >Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of $3.32 higher. Feeder Cattle futures were an average of $6.50 higher. </p> <p >Negotiated cash fed cattle was light on light demand in Nebraska and the western Corn Belt through Thursday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. So far this week, FOB live prices are $218/cwt. and dressed delivered prices are $345. There is no established trade in the Southern Plains.</p> <p >Choice boxed beef cutout value was $1.88 lower Thursday afternoon a...
Cattle Current Daily—Sept. 3, 2026
<p >Cattle futures continued trying to carve a bottom Wednesday, with pressure including steady to lower cash fed cattle prices.</p> <p >Toward the close, Live Cattle futures were an average of $1.38 lower. Feeder Cattle futures were narrowly mixed, from an average of 38¢ lower to an average of 67¢ higher.</p> <p >Negotiated cash fed cattle trade ranged from moderate on moderate demand in Nebraska to light on light to moderate demand in the western Corn Belt through Wednesday afternoon, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service. So far this week, FOB live prices are steady to $4 lower at $218/cwt. Dressed delivered pr...
