DTN Midday Livestock Comments          12/19 11:42

   Traders Push Livestock Contracts Higher Into Friday's Noon Hour 

   Bids are on the table in Kansas, but still no Southern cattle have traded. 

ShayLe Stewart
DTN Livestock Analyst

GENERAL COMMENTS:

   The livestock complex is trading in a fruitful manner Friday morning as all 
three markets are higher. This afternoon will be fairly busy, as we still need 
to trade cattle in the South and the monthly Cattle on Feed report will be 
released. March corn is down 3/4 cent per bushel and January soybean meal is 
down $0.40. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 311.00 points and NASDAQ is 
up 275.03 points.

LIVE CATTLE:

   Things are heating up in the cattle complex as the live cattle contracts are 
again pressing up against the market's 100-day moving average. Traders are 
seeming to hold their breath, patiently waiting to see what's going to develop 
in the Southern Plains as still no cattle have traded in that region. Bids are 
on the table in Kansas at $227, which is far below the asking price of $232 to 
$233, and asking prices in the North are holding steady at $358-plus. There was 
a light movement of trade in Nebraska at $358 Thursday afternoon, which is 
$4.00 higher than last week's weighted average. February live cattle are up 
$3.22 at $231.60, April live cattle are up $2.72 at $230.87 and June live 
cattle are up $2.52 at $224.60.

   Boxed beef prices are higher: choice up $3.61 ($360.89) and select up $3.57 
($347.54) with a movement of 69 loads (43.73 loads of choice, 8.34 loads of 
select, 11.09 loads of trim and 6.32 loads of ground beef).

FEEDER CATTLE:

   The feeder cattle complex is pushing a dynamite rally into Friday's noon 
hour as contracts are trading anywhere from $5.00 $6.00 higher. The spot March 
contract is currently trading above its 100-day moving average, seeming to feel 
well supported since the live cattle contracts are higher, fed cash cattle 
prices are stronger this week, and hopeful this afternoon's Cattle on Feed 
report will be bullish too. Time will tell.

LEAN HOGS:

   The lean hog complex is back to trading higher as traders seemed to have 
regained some faith in the market but are also feeling additionally supported 
by the day's slight uptick in pork cutouts. February lean hogs are up $0.75 at 
$84.92, April lean hogs are up $0.42 at $89.37 and June lean hogs are up $0.30 
at $101.90. It's unlikely the market will challenge resistance at $90.00, but a 
steady tone could be maintained through the day's end.

   The projected CME Lean Hog Index for 12/18/2025 is down $0.15 at $83.73, and 
the actual index for 12/17/2025 is up $0.01, $83.88. Hog prices are unavailable 
on the Daily Direct Morning Hog Report because of confidentiality. However, we 
can see that only 670 head have traded and the market's five-day rolling 
average now sits at $70.17. Pork cutouts total 191.72 loads with 165.59 loads 
of pork cuts and 26.13 loads of trim. Pork cutout values: up $2.92, $100.35.

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




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