DAILY CATTLE MARKET BRIEFING
December 25, 2025
1. MARKET SENTIMENT: Moderately Bearish (4/10)
- Pre-holiday trading shows weakening prices and reduced slaughter volumes
- Packers facing margin pressure from increasing cattle costs
- Producer survey indicates little optimism for 2026 conditions
2. KEY PRICE TRENDS:
- Cash fed cattle steady in North at $228/cwt, South trade inactive
- Choice boxed beef cutout down $1.15 to $354.62
- Live cattle futures closed lower, with February contract at $230/cwt
- Last week's slaughter at 587,000 head, down 9,000 from previous week and 29,000 under last year
3. TOP 3 NEW DEVELOPMENTS:
- Record-high quality grades: 87% of cattle graded Choice or Prime last week
- Retail beef prices hit new highs: ground beef $6.54/lb (+16% YOY), steaks $12.29/lb (+15% YOY)
- December Cattle on Feed report shows total inventory down 2.1% YOY with November placements falling 11.2%
4. OUTLOOK:
Ranchers should expect:
- Continued tight supplies and high prices but compressed margins
- Strong domestic demand despite record retail prices
- Holiday-shortened trading weeks ahead with light volume
- Regional disparity widening between Northern and Southern feedlot numbers
- Potential technical resistance in futures around $231.95 level for February live cattle
The market heads into year-end with fundamentally tight supplies but growing concerns about profitability despite historically high prices. Focus remains on whether strong domestic demand can offset reduced export potential in 2026.
December 25, 2025
1. MARKET SENTIMENT: Moderately Bearish (4/10)
- Pre-holiday trading shows weakening prices and reduced slaughter volumes
- Packers facing margin pressure from increasing cattle costs
- Producer survey indicates little optimism for 2026 conditions
2. KEY PRICE TRENDS:
- Cash fed cattle steady in North at $228/cwt, South trade inactive
- Choice boxed beef cutout down $1.15 to $354.62
- Live cattle futures closed lower, with February contract at $230/cwt
- Last week's slaughter at 587,000 head, down 9,000 from previous week and 29,000 under last year
3. TOP 3 NEW DEVELOPMENTS:
- Record-high quality grades: 87% of cattle graded Choice or Prime last week
- Retail beef prices hit new highs: ground beef $6.54/lb (+16% YOY), steaks $12.29/lb (+15% YOY)
- December Cattle on Feed report shows total inventory down 2.1% YOY with November placements falling 11.2%
4. OUTLOOK:
Ranchers should expect:
- Continued tight supplies and high prices but compressed margins
- Strong domestic demand despite record retail prices
- Holiday-shortened trading weeks ahead with light volume
- Regional disparity widening between Northern and Southern feedlot numbers
- Potential technical resistance in futures around $231.95 level for February live cattle
The market heads into year-end with fundamentally tight supplies but growing concerns about profitability despite historically high prices. Focus remains on whether strong domestic demand can offset reduced export potential in 2026.
For more detailed information or specific market data, please contact your local extension office or market analyst.