Choice Boxed Beef Jumps $22.71 to $394.99 as Labor Day Demand Builds

1 articles · Updated · Pro Farmer · Aug 19

$394.99 choice boxed beef values climbed $22.71 over the past week, with Labor Day buying providing a seasonal lift ahead of the holiday.
Cash cattle moved the other way: last week's trade averaged $228.52, down $6.69 from the prior week, while USDA has reported only very light cash trade this week with steers averaging $225.85 so far.
The beef rally still leaves prices below a year ago, when choice boxed beef stood at $407.20 on the same date; cash cattle were also lower than last year's $242.01 average.
Elsewhere in livestock, lean hog carcass prices fell $2.71 over the week to $94.11 and the pork cutout dropped $2.57 to $97.58, underscoring weaker pricing in pork than in beef.