Cattle futures slide as cash prices continue to decline

Cattle futures slide as cash prices continue to decline

At the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, live and feeder cattle closed sharply lower, pressured by the decline in cash business. February live cattle closed $5.42 lower at $163.55, and April live cattle closed $4.82 lower at $166.67.  January feeder cattle closed $4.55 lower at $210.15, and March feeder cattle closed $5.72 lower at $211.75. 

There was a light to moderate direct cash business that developed on Wednesday.  Live deals in the South were marked at $171, $3 below the prior week’s business.