The new year is off to a quiet start, with no trading reported today. Cattle slaughter finished last week at an estimated 515,000 head, down 6 percent from the year prior levels and up 23 percent from the week prior. Slaughter is forecast at 625,000 head this week and is expected to increase to 640,000 the week of January 23^rd before falling to 595,000 head on the week ending February 13^th.  The harvest is forecast down 2.2 percent from a year prior levels over the next six weeks, with our projections out at an average of 620,800 head versus…