Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) cattle futures fell on investor expectations that US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins might announce a re-opening of the border with Mexico for cattle imports in a speech in Oklahoma on Friday, reported Reuters.
The US is currently closed to cattle imports from Mexico because of an infestation south of the border of the flesh-eating New World screwworm parasite, which lays eggs in animal wounds.
The closure has contributed to tight cattle supplies and high beef prices in the United States.
But in her statements after the markets closed, Rollins did not lay out any plans for a border re-opening.
"Every time she speaks about this, I guess we're going to go through a panic," said Cassie Fish, analyst and author of the Beef blog.
Fish said there was also some seasonal weakness in cash cattle prices, which is normal at the end of the summer grilling season, but that was less of a factor in today's sell-off.
CME October live cattle futures ended 2.300 cents lower at 229.975 cents per pound. Feeder cattle also fell, with the October contract ending down 6.55 cents at 345.80 cents per pound.
The USDA said the wholesale choice boxed beef value fell $0.75 to $400.04 per hundredweight on Friday afternoon. The select cutout fell $1.51 to $378.44 per cwt.
October lean hog futures ended 1.05 cents lower at 97.125 cents per pound.
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