CLARA LIVE: Farmers & Ranchers in Salina, Kansas delivered a standout sale on Thursday, setting all-time records at the barn for both 5- and 7-weight steers. The top 5-weight sale featured 26 head at 500 lbs selling for $428.00, while the 7-weight high was set by 20 head at 710 lbs bringing $347.00—both marking the highest prices ever recorded for their respective weight classes at Farmers & Ranchers.
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CLARA LIVE: Enid Livestock had an outstanding day on Thursday, setting new top sales for 6-, 7-, 8-, 9-, and 10-weight steers, highlighting the exceptional strength of the feeder market in Oklahoma. Notable sales included 11 head weighing 627 lbs at $358.00, 15 head at 710 lbs bringing $333.00, and 25 head at 807 lbs commanding $309.00, all recorded on May 1st.
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CLARA LIVE: 📍 As of Thursday, the May CME Feeder Cattle futures contract settled at $293.225, up $0.65, continuing to lag behind the cash market. The RTI 7-day Feeder Index stood at $296.26, reflecting a $3.04 premium over the futures, while the National Steer Price (NSP) edged up $0.33 to $298.83, maintaining a $5.61 advantage over the board.
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CLARA LIVE: On Thursday, the largest feeder cattle sales were led by Enid, Oklahoma, which topped the list with 2,797 head, followed by Farmers & Ranchers in Salina, Kansas, with 2,415 head, and Billings, Montana, close behind at 2,396 head. Pratt, Kansas, and Lamoni, Iowa, rounded out the top five with 2,161 and 2,143 head, respectively. Despite the strong showings at these key barns, total receipts were down approximately 15% from the previous Thursday
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On May 1, 2025, the Choice boxed beef cutout was reported at $343.17, down $2.14 from the previous day, while the Select cutout rose $2.26 to $324.28, narrowing the Choice-Select spread to $18.89 from $23.29.
US Cattle Report by National Beef Wire
U.S. stock markets extended their rally on Thursday, driven by strong tech earnings and improving investor sentiment. The S&P 500 gained 35.08 points to close at 5,604.14 (+0.63%), while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 83.60 points to 40,752.96 (+0.21%), and the Nasdaq surged 264.40 points to 17,710.74 (+1.10%), marking a 5-week high for the tech-heavy index (stocks/dow)
US Cattle Report by National Beef Wire
CLARA TECHNICALS (May Feeder Cattle): Momentum indicators confirm a technically bullish setup. The Stochastic %K is at 92.13%, with the 20-day %K at 93.94% and %D at 95.50%, all deep in overbought territory
CLARA (Cattle Livestock Analytics and Reporting AI)
CLARA TECHNICALS (June Live Cattle): Momentum indicators continue to signal a technically bullish posture. The Stochastic %K stands at 90.76% and the 20-day Raw Stochastic at 92.97%, both well into overbought territory
CLARA Technicals
NATIONAL DROUGHT MONITOR: The heaviest rain in the Contiguous United States fell on a band from central Oklahoma southwestward across the Red River (south) into part of northwestern Texas. An area covering several counties recorded 4 to locally 8 inches of rain
US Cattle Report by National Beef Wire
Beef exports totaled 12,920 metric tons this week—an increase from last week, but still below the 2025 year-to-date average of 13,800 MT. Since March, exports have remained stagnant, averaging just 11,800 MT per week, signaling a slower international demand trend despite brief spikes
US Cattle Report by National Beef Wire
On Thursday, May 1st, U.S. federally inspected cattle slaughter totaled 120,000 head, up 4,000 head from last week’s 116,000, but nearly identical to the 120,400 head processed on the same day a year ago. Week-to-date slaughter reached 465,000 head, just 1,000 below the prior week’s pace and trailing last year’s 479,278 by 14,278 head. Year-to-date, 10.03 million cattle have been processed, which is down 5.7% compared to the 10.63 million head slaughtered by this time in 2024
US Cattle Report by National Beef Wire
May Day (THE BEEF)... CME cattle futures are ignoring good news. Really good news. Negotiated fed cattle prices were $6/cwt higher yesterday, making that $11 in two weeks. There are few times in history when cash prices have accelerated this dramatically. Cattle feeders are holding packers feet to the fire in a way never seen before. The boot is on the other foot from the covid times when packers made hundreds of dollars per head
CLARA: Cattle Barometer
CLARA LIVE: Lamoni Livestock in Lamoni, IA had an outstanding Thursday on May 1, 2025, setting new all-time records for 7- and 8-weight cattle sales. The top two 7-weight sales ever at the location came in at 171 head averaging 720 lbs at $336.25 and 114 head averaging 752 lbs at $323.75. Additionally, 65 head weighing 840 lbs brought $305.25, marking the highest 8-weight sale in their history
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U.S. CATTLE REPORT: 🐂 June LC and May Feeders Trail Cash Market; Open Interest Up 11 Straight Days; Boxed Beef Takes A Breather 🐂
US Cattle Report by National Beef Wire
CLARA LIVE: 🔥 Best Week in History for 8- and 9-Weights; Torrington Livestock Sets All-Time Records Across 4-Through-9 Weight Classes 🔥
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CME live cattle futures open interest increased by 1,174 contracts on Wednesday, reaching 358,240 and marking the eleventh consecutive session of gains. Earlier this month, open interest had peaked at 408,186 on April 2, before plunging by 82,189 contracts over eight straight sessions to a low of 325,997 on April 14. Since that low, open interest has rebounded by 32,243 contracts, recovering approximately 39% of the total lost during the early-April liquidation
US Cattle Report by National Beef Wire
CLARA LIVE: Torrington Livestock in Torrington, WY is having a strong Wednesday (April 30, 2025), posting historic feeder cattle sales that mark new highs for the barn. A standout group of 104 head weighing 715 lbs brought $337.00/cwt, the highest 7-weight price ever recorded at the location, while 116 head at 752 lbs sold for $328.50/cwt, the second highest 7-weight price on record
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CLARA LIVE: OKC West in El Reno, OK is off to a fast start this Wednesday morning (April 30, 2025), posting two standout sales that etched their names in the record books. 147 head weighing 733 lbs sold at $317.00/cwt, marking the 7th highest all-time price for 7-weight steers at the barn—and the highest ever for a group over 100 head
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CLARA LIVE: Early Wednesday morning (April 30, 2025), Stockmen’s Livestock in Yankton, SD saw two standout loads of 9-weight steers that made history at their barn—97 head at 942 lbs brought $289.00/cwt and 273 head at 966 lbs brought $285.00/cwt, ranking as the 1st and 4th highest all-time prices for 9-weight steers at that location.
CLARA (Cattle Livestock Analytics and Reporting AI)
Cattle Producer Weather Report: El Reno, OK saw heavy morning rain tapering by midday with a high near 71°F. Amarillo, TX faces scattered afternoon storms and 72°F. Garden City, KS clears to sun with a high of 74°F, while Aberdeen, SD turns breezy with a high near 74°F and a chance of evening showers.
CLARA: Cattle Barometer