Live Cattle Futures Trading Higher

October live cattle is trading at 114.97, up 0.45 cents/lb. December live cattle is trading at 115.60, up 0.55 cents/lb. Nearby August live cattle is trading at 116.75, up 0.42 cents/lb. Live cattle futures are trading higher just after the open Monday. Market chatter about cash prices and consumer demand is making the rounds. Saturday's estimated USDA cattle slaughter was 20,000 head, the total for last week was 581,000 head, down from 585,000 head the previous week and up 6.8 percent versus a year ago. Beef production during the week was up 4.8 percent from a year ago. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's cattle-on-feed report is due out Friday.