Live cattle futures saw contracts close steady to 75 cents higher on Friday, with June up $4.175 this week. Cash trade was delayed until Friday, with the South coming in at $212-213, up $2-3 from last week. Northern trade was up to $218, $4-5 higher on the week. Feeder cattle futures posted Friday gains of $1.45 to $1.80, as May saw a $3.675 pop this week. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was down $1.64 on April 24, with the average price at $289.88.

Managed money was adding 13,937 contracts to their net long in the week ending on April 22 to 120,460 contracts in live cattle futures and options. In feeder cattle, they increased their net long by 2,146 contracts to 28,061 contracts. 

Cold Storage data released on Thursday afternoon showed March 31 beef stocks at 426.882 million lbs. That was above the same period last year by 0.7%, but down 2.07% per the seasonal pattern from February.

The Friday afternoon National Wholesale Boxed Beef report from USDA was higher, as the Chc/Sel was at $16.37. Choice boxes were $2.78 higher at $336.48/cwt, with Select up $3.76 to $320.11. Federally inspected cattle slaughter was estimated at 555,000 head this week. That is 21,000 head below the previous week and down 58,723 head from the same week last year.

Apr 25 Live Cattle  closed at $214.250, up $0.750,

Jun 25 Live Cattle  closed at $208.250, up $0.250,

Aug 25 Live Cattle  closed at $204.100, unch,

May 25 Feeder Cattle  closed at $290.525, up $1.450,

Aug 25 Feeder Cattle  closed at $294.300, up $1.600,

Sep 25 Feeder Cattle  closed at $293.550, up $1.775,