DTN Early Word Livestock Comments 04/05 06:16

DTN Early Word Livestock Comments 04/05 06:16 Lower Cash Cattle This Week The livestock complex was able to close higher Thursday. Cattle are searching for some bullish news to take traders' minds off the news of avian flu in dairy cattle. Hog futures spent time on both sides of unchanged before closing slightly higher. Robin Schmahl DTN Contributing Analyst Cattle: Lower Futures: Mixed Live Equiv: $221.38 -$2.23* Hogs: Lower Futures: Higher Lean Equiv: $104.12 +$3.24** *Based on formula estimating live cattle equivalent of gross packer revenue. (The Live Cattle Equiv. Index has been updated to depict recent changes in live cattle weights and grading percentages.) ** based on formula estimating lean hog equivalent of gross packer revenue. GENERAL COMMENTS: Cattle have had a difficult week as the market is searching for some stability. However, with the news of HPAI in dairy cattle now being found in another state, it keeps the uncertainty alive and well in the market and forefront of the news. This has resulted in reduced demand as boxed beef prices have declined throughout the week. There was a large drop on Thursday with choice down $4.15 and select down $0.87. Cash cattle began trading lower Thursday with cattle in the North posting early sales $3 to $5 lower. Hopefully, that did not set the pattern for the cash cattle trade Friday. Southern cattle showed some trade at $1 to $2 lower. There remains strong demand for feeder cattle at auctions with buyers remaining bullish over price due to tight numbers.