US cattle futures rise as tight supply fuels price gains

Live cattle and feeder cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange posted gains early in the week, with August live cattle up 0.72 cents to $247.35 per pound and feeder cattle up 3.83 cents to $370.43 per pound. The rally follows the USDA’s latest Cattle on Feed report, which showed a 2 % increase in cattle inventory in feedlots year‑over‑year, though placements into feedlots fell 10 % from a year earlier, tightening supply.

Analysts also noted 15 confirmed cases of New World screwworm in the United States, a pest that could further constrain cattle supply. Beef cut prices rose, with USDA‑priced choice beef up $1.69 to $396.06 per cwt and select beef up $3.51 to $375.59 per cwt. By contrast, pork carcass prices slipped 69 cents to $96.08 per cwt, and hog futures remained essentially unchanged at 96.73 cents.

Overall, the market is awaiting the USDA’s Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report for additional supply insights, while the tight cattle market continues to underpin bullish sentiment in livestock commodities.