LIVESTOCK-CME cattle end mixed in choppy trading

By Heather Schlitz

CHICAGO, March 5 (Reuters) - Chicago Mercantile Exchange live and feeder cattle futures were mixed on Thursday after spending the day seesawing as tight supply of cattle and high beef prices supported prices, though weak cash cattle prices and concerns over beef demand weighed on futures.

CME April live cattle futures LCJ26 closed 0.175 cent higher at 238.525 cents per pound. April feeder cattle FCJ26 closed settled 1.75 cents lower at 359 cents per pound.

Beef packer margins have improved steadily through the week. The average beef packer margin on Thursday was estimated at a negative $110.85 per head, compared with a negative $256.95 per head a week ago, according to livestock marketing advisory service HedgersEdge.

The tight supply of cattle has helped counteract pressure from the weakening cash market, analysts said.

For boxed beef, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that values for choice cuts fell by $1.68 to $386.89 per hundredweight, while select cuts increased by 26 cents to $380.61 per hundredweight.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported net export sales of beef for the week ended February 26 at 11,200 metric tons.

Lean hog futures settled slightly lower on technical trading, though they gained support from an anticipated shortage of hogs and disease concerns in the hog herd, said Jim Gerlach, president of A/C Trading.

CME April hogs LHJ26 closed 1.4 cents lower at 95.675 cents per pound.