Lean hog prices climb as pork cutout value inches higher - CME
Beef futures rise on screwworm threat near border
23 September 2025
2 minute read
By: Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) live cattle futures closed higher on Monday after news that New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite, was detected 70 miles from the US-Mexico border, Reuters reported, citing analysts.
Analysts believed the news would mean the US-Mexico border will be closed to feeder cattle imports for the foreseeable future.
"It's bullish because the border is going to stay closed," Dan Basse, president of AgResource, said.
The border has been closed to feeder imports for months to prevent the spread of screwworm and has further constricted an already tight cattle supply.
CME December live cattle ended up 4.5 cents at 240.225 cents. October feeder cattle rose 7.25 cents to end at 361.35 cents per pound.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Monday also hinted at plans to stimulate the rebuilding of the herd. Analysts also interpreted the announcement as bullish, as increased heifer retention would temporarily reduce the cattle supply.
Monthly feedlot data from the USDA, released on Friday, came in close to trade expectations.
The USDA reported the number of cattle in US feedlots as of September 1 at 11.1 million head, down 1.05% from a year earlier, while analysts surveyed by Reuters ahead of the report on average had expected a slightly smaller drop of 0.9%.
Wholesale beef prices continued to retreat from near-record highs set in early September as the summer grilling season wound down. The USDA priced choice cuts of beef at $381.39 per hundredweight (cwt) on Friday afternoon, down 66 cents from Thursday.
CME lean October hogs settled up 0.825 cent at 98.80 cents per pound.
The USDA priced the hog carcass cutout at $112.05 per cwt on Friday afternoon, up 10 cents from Thursday.
