Live and feeder cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange were weaker on Thursday, as losses in the grains and oilseeds spilled into the livestock markets.
Chart-based positioning contributed to the declines, with profit-taking coming forward as values ran into technical resistance.
The February live cattle contract was down by 1.925 cents per pound at 196.600 cents.
March feeder cattle futures were down by 2.075 cents per pound at 267.725 cents per pound.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported wholesale boxed beef prices were mixed on Thursday, with choice boxes down $0.73 from Wednesday at $333.41 per hundredweight and select boxes up $1.34 at $319.38.
Lean hog prices were lower on the day, with the nearby February contract down 0.825 cents per pound at 82.300 cents.
World livestock markets continued to keep an eye on a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Germany in a herd of water buffalo, with France alerting veterinarians and announcing reinforced checks for the disease.
