Opening Livestock Cash Market Comments

ST. JOSEPH - May 15/08 - SNS -- The USDA's daily opening cash market comments for national slaughter cattle markets.

Morning National Slaughter Cattle Review for Wednesday, 5/14/08

Trading was mostly inactive in all major feeding regions.  Not enough sales reported
to establish a market trend.  Last week in the South Plains live sales traded at
94.00.  Dressed sales in Kansas sold from 148.50-149.00.  Last week live sales in
Nebraska and Colorado traded at 94.00 while Iowa/Minnesota sold at 92.00.  Dressed
sales in Nebraska and Iowa/Minnesota sold from 147.00-149.00 while Colorado traded at
147.00.

This report is based on information provided by companies that agreed to
continue to participate in Livestock Mandatory Reporting on a voluntary
basis.

Negotiated sales:
Confirmed:       681    Week ago:           25,670    Year ago:            8,707
Wk to Date:    2,418    Week ago to Date:   28,095    Year ago: to Date   15,811

Negotiated, Formula and contract purchases delivered to packers today:
Today:       101,800    Week Ago:          103,900    Year Ago:           92,800
Wk to Date:  290,000    Week Ago to Date:  286,000    Year Ago to Date:  286,100

Negotiated, Formula and contract commitments today: (generally for slaughter
within 7 days)
Today:       105,200    Week Ago:          132,700    Year Ago:           89,500
Wk to Date:  240,900    Week Ago to Date:  245,400    Year Ago to Date:  212,400

Negotiated: prices paid for Domestic Slaughter steers and heifers:
(Information derived from the 5 area weighted average LM_CT100)

Live basis                 Steers                     Heifers
Over 80% Choice            -       avg                -       avg
65 - 80% Choice            -       avg                -       avg
35 - 65% Choice            -       avg                -       avg
0 - 35% Choice             -       avg                -       avg
Total all grades           -       avg                -       avg

Dressed basis              Steers                     Heifers
Over 80% Choice            -       avg                -       avg
65 - 80% Choice            -       avg                -       avg
35 - 65% Choice            -       avg                -       avg
0 - 35% Choice             -       avg                -       avg
Total all grades           -       avg                -       avg

Formula purchases: prices established on previous reporting day for
slaughtered cattle.

Beef Type:                   Domestic:
Head count priced today:        33,000
Weighted avg weight:               781
Weighted avg net price:         148.42

Slaughter Cows and Bulls:  Dressed Prices
N/A due to expired law and lack of voluntary packer participation.

Covers transactions reported at 2:00 pm today.  Comments and market conditions
may include information gathered from voluntary sources, all prices, weights
and head counts are only those gathered through the mandatory reporting system.

Source:  USDA Market News Service, St Joseph, MO

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STAT News Service