LIVESTOCK-Hog futures extend retreat from recent highs; cattle end lower

By Julie Ingwersen

CHICAGO, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange fell sharply on Thursday, with the benchmark April contract LHJ26 extending its retreat for a sixth consecutive session after posting a life-of-contract high last week.

CME April hogs LHJ26 settled down 2.025 cents at 91.825 cents per pound. The contract peaked on February 4 at 99.800 cents.

Hog futures climbed in January as wintry weather disrupted hog deliveries and fears spread about diseases reducing animal numbers. Speculators piled into the long side of the futures market, weekly commitments data from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission showed.

Momentum has reversed this week, with hog futures falling.

"You had spec money that was chasing this market (higher) pretty hard. It got disconnected from what the fundamentals suggested," said Altin Kalo, chief economist at Steiner Consulting Group.

"You have plenty of pork around, the (hog) weights are still relatively heavy... The market is starting to recognize that, and probably took some premiums off," Kalo said.

Wholesale pork prices rose. The U.S. Department of Agriculture priced pork carcasses on Thursday afternoon at $95.89 per hundredweight (cwt), up $2.12 from Wednesday.

Cattle futures drifted lower as traders awaited direction from cash cattle markets that had yet to develop for the week.

CME April live cattle futures LCJ26 settled down 0.325 cent at 240.650 cents per pound and March feeder cattle futures FCH26 finished down 1.725 cents at 365.725 cents.

Wholesale beef prices declined, with choice cuts priced at $364.84 per cwt, down $1.08 from Wednesday, according to USDA data.

U.S. beef packers have been losing money as historically tight supplies of cattle prompt them to pay more for the livestock they slaughter and process into hamburgers and steaks.

Cargill will permanently close its beef processing facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and eliminate 221 jobs, according to a filing with the state, the latest U.S. beef plant to be shuttered amid rising costs for meat packers.