Cattle slaughter finished last week at 645,000 head, down 2.4 percent from a year ago and up 12.4 percent relative to the year prior. Slaughter is forecast to move lower over the next six weeks. This week, slaughter is projected out at 640,000 head, down 1.5 percent from last week. Over the next six weeks, slaughter is forecast at an average of 630,800 head, down an average of 0.3 percent from the prior six weeks. The lower cattle slaughter forecast…