Weekly Livestock Slaughter

Weekly Livestock Slaughter

Cattle Slaughter
Head: 553,000
vs Last Week: +3.4%
vs Year Ago: −2.3%

Hog Slaughter
Head: 2,553,000
vs Last Week: −2.5%
vs Year Ago: −1.4%

Analysis 

Cattle slaughter came in at 553,000 head for the week ending October 17, up 3.4% from the prior week's 535,000 and 2.3% under the same week last year. Hogs went the other way, down 2.5% on the week to 2,553,000 and 1.4% below a year ago. Year to date, the cattle kill is running 7.3% behind 2025 at 21.64 million head, while hogs are only 1.0% back at 99.99 million.

The cattle gap to last year has narrowed three weeks running, from 12.8% in the week ending September 26 to 2.3% now. Hog slaughter has held above 2.5 million for four straight weeks, and the year over year comparison keeps flipping around flat (up 1.5% last week, down 1.4% this week).

Dec live cattle settled Thursday at 227.25, above the 20 day at 222.82 and the 50 day at 220.23 but just shy of the 200 day at 229.28, with RSI at 60. Nov feeders settled at 341.95, a few cents under the 200 day at 342.01 and just below the 20 day high of 342.50. Dec lean hogs settled at 66.575 after trading down to a 52 week low of 65.80 Thursday, and they sit below all three averages with RSI at 36. A Dec cattle close above the August high at 229.45 opens the door to the July 13 high at 232.275, while a break under the 20 day at 222.82 puts the 50 day at 220.23 in play.