DTN Midday Livestock Comments          01/30 11:53

   Southern Live Cattle Trade $3 to $5 Higher, Dressed Cattle Jump $6 to $9 
Higher

   Some light cash cattle trade has been noted in the South at $238 to $240, 
and in the North at $375 to $378.

ShayLe Stewart
DTN Livestock Analyst

GENERAL COMMENTS:

   The livestock complex is trading mixed into Friday's noon hour as the cattle 
sector is anxious ahead of seeing the Cattle Inventory report. Some light cash 
cattle trade has developed, and thankfully prices are fully higher in both 
regions. March corn is down 5 cents per bushel and March soybean meal is down 
$3.10. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 461.89 points and NASDAQ is 
down 186.94 points.

LIVE CATTLE:

   The live cattle complex is truly a mixed bag heading into Friday's noon 
hour. Only the February live cattle contract is trading higher, while the 
deferred contracts are trading moderately lower as the market sits on pins and 
needles waiting for the industry's Cattle Inventory report to be released later 
this afternoon. It has been exciting to see some stronger trade develop in the 
fed cash cattle market, but unfortunately with traders knowing the big report 
is set to be released this afternoon, the strong developments in the cash 
market seem to be overlooked. February live cattle is up $0.25 at $235.75, 
April live cattle is down $0.52 at $236.75 and June live cattle is down $1.47 
at $231.80. Some light cash cattle trade has developed in the South at $238 to 
$240, which is $3.00 to $5.00 higher than last week's weighted average. Some 
Northern dressed cattle trade has developed at $375 to $378, which is $6.00 to 
$9.00 higher than last week's weighted average.

   Boxed beef prices are mixed: choice down $1.22 ($366.55) and select up $2.28 
($363.00) with a movement of 57 loads (38.15 loads of choice, 3.95 loads of 
select, 4.97 loads of trim and 9.61 loads of ground beef).

FEEDER CATTLE:

   Between seeing the equity markets and live cattle contracts all fall lower, 
the feeder cattle contracts are following suit as most of the contracts are 
trading $5.00 to $6.00 lower into Friday's noon hour. There's a cloud of 
uncertainty that's seemed to overcome the entire marketplace, and currently 
seems to be ensuing the most havoc on the feeder cattle contracts. March 
feeders are down $6.52 at $358.77, April feeders are down $6.30 at $356.92 and 
May feeders are down $6.12 at $353.85.

LEAN HOGS:

   While the cattle contracts sink back in anxiousness, the lean hog contracts 
are at least trading higher in the market's deferred contracts, but the nearby 
contracts are following suit in a minor regression. February lean hogs are down 
$0.35 at $87.35, April lean hogs are down $0.32 at $95.12 and June lean hogs 
are down $0.10 at $108.32. It is helpful that midday pork cutout values are up 
over $2.00 higher -- showing strong continued consumer support.

   The projected lean hog index for 1/29/2026 is up $0.06 at $85.78, and the 
actual index for 1/28/2026 is up $0.50 at $85.72. Hog prices are lower on the 
Daily Direct Morning Hog report, down $0.49 with a weighted average price of 
$83.39, ranging from $79.00 to $87.00 on 1,508 head and a five-day rolling 
average of $84.12. Pork cutouts total 168.84 loads with 141.20 loads of pork 
cuts and 27.64 loads of trim. Pork cutout values: up $2.67, $96.10.

   ShayLe Stewart can be reached at shayle.stewart@dtn.com




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