LIVESTOCK-CME live cattle futures end higher on firm cash markets

By Julie Ingwersen

CHICAGO, March 7 (Reuters) - Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange climbed to one-month highs on Friday, supported by firm cash cattle markets and resilient beef prices, traders said.

CME April live cattle LCJ25 settled up 4.000 cents at 200.275 cents per pound after reaching 200.950 cents, the contract's highest since February 6.

April feeder cattle futures FCJ25 rose 3.725 cents to close at 278.150 cents per pound while May feeders FCK25 set a life-of-contract high at 278.675 cents.

Slaughter-ready cattle traded in Nebraska cash markets at $200 to $202 per hundredweight (cwt), traders and the U.S. Department of Agriculture said, up roughly $2 from last week.

On the beef side, the USDA priced choice cuts of boxed beef at $314.90 per cwt on Friday afternoon, up $1.78 from Thursday. The choice cutout price has not fallen below $310 since early December.

Hog futures also ended higher, buoyed by Thursday's news that U.S. President Donald Trump temporarily exempted goods from Mexico from steep tariffs that he had imposed earlier in the week. Mexico is the largest buyer of U.S. pork, and the tariff threats had raised fears of export disruptions.

CME's April lean hog contract LHJ25 settled up 0.700 cent at 87.350 cents per pound. June hogs LHM25 ended up 1.075 cents at 98.100 cents after posting a one-week high at 99.100 cents.