LIVESTOCK-CME cattle futures rise in anticipation of Cattle on Feed numbers

CHICAGO, March 20 (Reuters) - Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures firmed on Friday as traders anticipated the U.S. Department of Agriculture's monthly Cattle on Feed report, released after the session closed.

CME April feeders FCJ26 finished up 2.475 cents at 357.75 cents per pound. April live cattle LCJ26 settled up 0.775 cent at 234.05 cents per pound.

Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist at StoneX said in a note both feeder and live cattle were seeing a rebound that wiped out Thursday's selloff as the trade anticipated low numbers of U.S. cattle on feed and historically low marketings.

The USDA reported after the session ended that cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the U.S. for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.55 million head on March 1, slightly below March 1, 2025, which totaled 11.58 million head and above the trade estimate of 99.3 percent of 2025's total.

On Friday afternoon, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported choice cuts of boxed beef fell $0.19 to $400.11 per hundredweight (cwt), and select cuts rose $0.49 at $392.94 per cwt.

Beef packer margins rose to $109.75 per head on Friday, down from gains of $132.20 on Thursday, and $45.20 a week ago, according to livestock marketing advisory service HedgersEdge.

In hogs, China's state planner on Friday said authorities will make adjustments to hog reserves and continue to strengthen the management of hog production capacity, according to a statement released by the National Development and Reform Commission.

CME lean hog futures LHJ26 ended down 0.775 cents at 91.275 cents per pound.