DTN Midday Livestock Comments          09/20 12:07

   Livestock Down on Friday 

   It would appear as though the market is played out for the week! Live 
cattle, lean hogs, and deferred feeder cattle markets are all lower while corn 
remains steady to unchanged. 

By ShayLe Stewart
DTN Livestock Analyst

General Comments

   Friday's livestock complex opened to a "checked out, ready for Saturday" 
market, and it appears that the day will end that way, too. December corn is 
trading up 1/4 cent. Dow Jones is 58.07 points and NASDAQ is down 17.69 points. 

   LIVE CATTLE 

   Friday's live cattle opened at $105.85 and has since dropped to $105.22. 
Some experts believe that the has rally subsided with prices well above $100 
and market interest diminishing. On the bright side, cash prices have gained 
some leverage this week, the Cattle on Feed Report is expected to be bullish, 
and if the market closes sideways on Friday, there's worse things that could 
happen. As of midday limited cash trade has taken place, indicating that 
packers and feeders are both being unwilling to negotiate and even though the 
Cattle on Feed Report is expected to be bullish, trade doesn't typically happen 
on Friday before its unveiling. Bids of $101 remain in Kansas, $102 live in 
Nebraska and $160 to $162 dressed in Nebraska and Iowa. 

   Boxed beef cutouts at midday are mixed with choice down $0.90 ($217.27) and 
select up $0.53 ($192.69). Friday's offering of boxed beef movement came to 78 
loads total (24.98 loads of choice cuts, 17.94 loads of select cuts, 15.05 
loads of trimmings and 19.72 loads of ground beef). 

   FEEDER CATTLE 

   Although most of the livestock complex is lower Friday at midday, nearby 
feeder cattle contracts remain positive with limited interested. October feeder 
cattle opened Friday at $139.12 and have since then moved slightly to $139.27, 
up $0.55. 

   Thursday's USDA actual slaughter report came out showing an increase in 
steer carcass weights up nine pounds from the last report to 893 pounds for the 
week ending September 7. With limited movement on the negotiated trade the last 
two weeks, feeders will have to keep in mind that with shorter days and cooling 
nights, carcass weights are bound to keep getting bigger. 

   LEAN HOGS

   Again, early Friday morning South Korea mentioned that they are inspecting 
more suspect cases of African swine fever near the borders of North Korea. Lean 
hog contracts haven't faired Friday morning's open and midday extremely well, 
even with higher cutout values. Friday's lean hog contract opened at $67.82 and 
has since then dropped to $67.30. 

   The projected lean hog index for 9/19/19 is down $0.52 at $55.80 and the 
actual index for 9/18/19 came in $0.44 lower at $56.32. Prices are slightly 
lower again Friday morning on the National Direct Morning Hog Report, down 
$0.37 at a weight average of $43.99, ranging from $40.00 to $45.00, on 9,060 
head sold with a five-day rolling average of $44.77. Pork cutouts totaled 
171.14 loads, with 158.60 loads of pork cuts and 12.54 loads of trimming. Pork 
cutout values came in $1.44 higher at $70.46. 

   ShayLe Stewart can be reached at [email protected] 


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