Market Activity

Trading was mostly quiet to start the week. Pacific northwest ruminant MBM traded as low as $225. West coast markets remain under pressure due to difficulty with exports keeping the local supply heavy.

Last week’s cattle slaughter dropped 3.6% relative to the week prior, down to 636,000 head. Kills were off 1.4% compared to the same week last year, a differential uncommon to this year where YTD cattle slaughter is running 2.8% above 2017. Slaughter is…