Live and fed cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange were steady to lower on Friday, as the slaughter was behind pace.

Slaughter numbers down for cattle
Strong export sales for cattle, hogs
Hog exports have second best December
U.S.,China impose tariffs on each other
Trump delays tariffs on Mexico
Costs of Production: Open cows have a huge effect — especially when they are two-year-olds
The Markets: Heifer retention is expected this year in both Canada and the U.S.
Animal Health: Long-term trends in the beef sector continue to evolve