Live & Feeder Cattle Futures Prices Today

Q: How do I calculate a cattle feeding breakeven and cost of gain?

Purchase cost = feeder weight x purchase price / 100. Pounds of gain = finished weight - feeder weight. Feeding cost = pounds of gain x cost of gain ($/lb, typically $0.90-$1.30 covering feed, yardage, interest, and death loss). Breakeven sale price ($/cwt) = (purchase cost + feeding cost) / finished weight x 100. The calculator above does this and compares it to the live cattle board.

CME Group · LE=F & GF=F · Updated every 30 min

$218.30

$ / cwt · Live Cattle

Live cattle last closed near $218.30 · feeders near $331.27 · $/cwt · as of Jul 27 · live quotes update every 30 minutes through the session.

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Cattle futures trade on the CME in two contracts: live cattle (LE) — finished, market-ready animals around 1,400 lb — and feeder cattle (GF) — weaned calves headed to the feedlot. Both are quoted in dollars per hundredweight ($/cwt). Feeder prices lead, because today's feeder is the feedlot's raw material and the live contract is the finished product; the feeder/live ratio shows where value sits between cow-calf producers and feedlots. Cattle prices move on the USDA Cattle on Feed and Inventory reports, beef demand and the boxed-beef cutout, slaughter pace, and corn feed costs — not the monthly WASDE. Compare with live corn futures (feed cost) and check what's priced in for grain reports. Live prices below update every 30 minutes.

Live CattleLE=F · $/cwt

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52-Week Range

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Feeder CattleGF=F · $/cwt

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52-Week Range

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Feeder / Live Ratiofeeder ÷ live

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Loads with live prices.

Managed Money Positioning · Cattle

Live Cattle (LE)

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net contracts

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Feeder Cattle (GF)

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net contracts

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Source: CFTC Disaggregated Commitments of Traders, futures-only, released Fridays 3:30 PM ET · CFTC ↗

Cattle Seasonal Price Tendency Typical pattern · live cattle · current month highlighted

Fed cattle prices typically peak in spring (Mar–Apr) on grilling-season demand and tight winter-fed supplies, then soften to a fall low (Oct–Nov). Feeder cattle follow a similar path but bottom harder in fall, when the calf run floods the market — historically a weak window to sell calves and a stronger one to buy them. Typical seasonal tendency only; weather, herd size, and feed costs move any single year.

Cattle Feeding Cost-of-Gain Calculator

What sale price do you need to break even? Enter your feeder cost, finished weight, and cost of gain — feeder and fed-cattle prices are pre-filled from today's board. Cost of gain typically runs $0.90–$1.30/lb (feed, yardage, interest, death loss).

Feeder weight (lb)

Feeder price ($/cwt)

Finished weight (lb)

Cost of gain ($/lb)

Fed-cattle sale price ($/cwt — live cattle board)

Breakeven sale price

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Purchase cost—

Pounds of gain—

Feeding cost—

Total cost / head—

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Decision-support only, not a guarantee. Real returns depend on actual cost of gain, death loss, basis, yield grade, interest, and the sale-month board, which all move. Use it to compare scenarios, then confirm with your own closeouts.

Coming next on this page: USDA Cattle on Feed report odds, the boxed-beef cutout and packer margin, and weekly slaughter pace — the AMS data that drives the cattle market read. Building now.

Cattle Futures — Common Questions

What is the live cattle futures price today?

The live price above shows the CME front-month live cattle contract (LE), refreshed every 30 minutes during the trading day, quoted in dollars per hundredweight ($/cwt).

What is the difference between live cattle and feeder cattle futures?

Feeder cattle (GF) are weaned calves around 650–850 lb sold into feedlots; live cattle (LE) are finished, market-ready animals around 1,400 lb. Feeder prices lead, since today's feeder is the feedlot's raw material and live cattle is the finished product. Both are quoted in dollars per hundredweight.

What is the feeder-to-live cattle ratio?

The feeder/live ratio is the feeder cattle price divided by the live cattle price. A high ratio means feeders are expensive relative to fed cattle, squeezing feedlot margins; a low ratio means cheaper feeders and better potential feeding margins. It's a quick read on where value sits between cow-calf producers and feedlots.

How do I calculate a cattle feeding breakeven and cost of gain?

Purchase cost = feeder weight × purchase price ÷ 100. Pounds of gain = finished weight − feeder weight. Feeding cost = pounds of gain × cost of gain ($/lb, typically $0.90–$1.30 covering feed, yardage, interest, and death loss). Breakeven sale price ($/cwt) = (purchase cost + feeding cost) ÷ finished weight × 100. The calculator above does this and compares it to the live cattle board.

What moves cattle futures prices?

Cattle futures move on the USDA Cattle on Feed and Cattle Inventory reports, beef demand and the boxed beef cutout, slaughter pace and packer margins, corn and feed costs, and weather or drought affecting herd size. Unlike grain, the monthly WASDE is not the primary catalyst.

When is the USDA Cattle on Feed report?

USDA releases Cattle on Feed monthly, typically on the third or fourth Friday at 2:00 PM CT, covering feedlots with 1,000+ head capacity. The semi-annual Cattle Inventory report (late January and late July) sizes the whole herd. These, not WASDE, are the cattle market's scheduled movers.

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Weekday market read with the numbers, the USDA calendar, and the context — no fluff, no affiliate links. Written by a farmer, for farmers.

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Licensed crop-insurance agent · cattle, dairy & grain producers nationwide. Questions, corrections, partnership? sig@farmers1st.com · About AGSIST

Prices from CME Group via market data feed (delayed ~15 min); 5-year range from weekly settlements. Quoted in $/cwt. Decision-support only — not financial advice. Verify with your broker before making marketing decisions.