Feeder Cattle (GF) Futures Contract Specifications

What Are Feeder Cattle (GF) Futures?

Feeder Cattle Futures (GF) provide traders with exposure to the young cattle market before they enter feedlots. These contracts allow for speculation on feeder cattle prices, hedging for ranchers and feedlot operators, or trading the cattle crush spread.

Contract Size

Contract Size: 50,000 pounds

Example: This contract size allows traders to gain exposure to meats with controlled leverage and risk.

Tick Value and Increment

  • Tick Size: 0.025 cents per pound
  • Tick Value: $12.50 per tick
  • Point Value: $500.00 per cent

These specifications make Feeder Cattle (GF) Futures suitable for traders seeking exposure to meats markets.

Trading Hours

Feeder Cattle (GF) Futures trade with extended hours, providing flexibility for traders in different time zones.

  • Trading Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 1:05 PM
  • Time Zone: Central Time (CT)

Trading Symbol

Platform Symbol: GF

Margins

To trade Feeder Cattle (GF) Futures, you'll need to meet specific margin requirements. Check with your broker for the latest margin rates and details.

Why Trade Feeder Cattle (GF) Futures?

  • Exposure to the early stage of the beef supply chain
  • Component for trading cattle crush spreads with corn and live cattle
  • Effective hedging tool for ranchers and feedlot operators
  • Highly responsive to corn prices and feed costs
  • Distinct seasonal patterns tied to cattle production cycles

Position Sizing for Feeder Cattle (GF) Futures

Proper position sizing is crucial when trading Feeder Cattle (GF) Futures. Use our position size calculator to determine the optimal number of contracts based on your risk tolerance and account size.

Position Size Calculator Example

For Feeder Cattle (GF) Futures (GF):

  • Tick Size: 0.025 cents per pound
  • Tick Value: $12.50 per tick
  • Point Value: $500.00 per cent

If you want to risk $500 with a 10-point stop loss:

Risk per Contract = Stop Loss in Points × Point Value = 10 × 500.00 per cent = $5000

Maximum Contracts = Risk Amount ÷ Risk per Contract = $500 ÷ $5000 = 0 contracts