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CME cattle futures fell Thursday in a technical and fund-selling retreat as beef packer margins deteriorated to a loss of about $257 per head. Packer bids in the Plains came in at $243 to $245, below the prior week's $249.
A looming strike at a Greeley, Colorado plant added to concerns about lower slaughter.
Deeply negative packer margins threaten reduced slaughter and lower cash bids, which weighs on fed cattle futures. A strike at a major plant would further cut demand for fed cattle.
thecattlesite.comMelanie EppFeb 27, 2026Not enough comparable past events yet for a historical read.
Not enough comparable past events yet for a historical read.
Not enough comparable past events yet for a historical read.
Moves of each commodity's benchmark from the last close before the event. Historical reads pool past events of the same kind; they describe what happened, not what will. Not investment advice.
Negative packer margins (about -$257/head), lower packer bids and fund selling reduce packer demand for cattle, which is bearish for live cattle.
