LIVESTOCK-U.S. live cattle futures pressured by profit-taking

* Weaker corn supports feeder cattle
* CME hogs slip on weak cash markets

By Meredith Davis
CHICAGO, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Chicago Mercantile Exchange live
cattle futures dipped on Tuesday on profit-taking as wholesale
beef prices slipped and beef packer margins remained negative,
traders said.
Beef packer margins improved slightly on Tuesday, but were
still in the red as lower wholesale prices squeezed profits.
Choice wholesale beef values early on Tuesday were down 22
cents from Monday to $202.57 and $2.88 lower than a week ago,
according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.
Despite negative margins, packers still need supplies, which

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could keep cash cattle prices at least steady this week, traders
said.
Last week, packers paid $1 less per cwt for cattle than the
week before at mostly $131, with a few sales of $132 per cwt,
feedlot sources said.
Traders noted more cattle for sale in the U.S. Plains this
week. But, the longer term trend is for tighter supplies given
the herd at a 61-year low.
December finished 0.075 cent per lb lower at 132.675
cents, and February closed at 134.275 cents, down 0.100
cent.
Front-month CME feeder cattle ended higher as corn prices at
the Chicago Board of Trade eased. The weak CME live cattle
market pressured back-month feeder cattle contracts.
November closed up 0.450 cent per lb at 164.650
cents, and January ended at 164.200 cents, up 0.025
cent. March ended 0.125 cent lower at 164.200 cents.

HOGS PRESSURED BY LOWER CASH PRICES
Lower cash hog prices pressured CME hog futures, traders

said.
Tuesday morning, USDA pegged hog prices in closely watched
Iowa/Minnesota down $3.16 per cwt from Monday at $79.20 per cwt
in light trade. Prices in the eastern hog markets fell by $1.06
to $79.98.
Cash hog prices have been pressured by ample supplies at
higher weights, according to traders and hog brokers.
Falling cash prices and slowly rising hog numbers undercut
initial market support tied to worries about the spread of the
Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) on U.S. hog farms,
independent livestock futures trader Dan Norcini said.
Speculators recently bought deferred-month CME hogs with the
view that resurgence of PEDv, which is fatal to baby pigs, can
reduce hog production through the middle of 2014.
December hogs ended down 0.850 cent at 87.200 cents,
while February closed 0.875 cent lower at 91.350 cents.

(Additional reporting by Theopolis Waters; editing by Andrew
Hay)