For the week ending May 4, Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were quite variable and the market was hard to define. Alberta and certain regions of Saskatchewan received snow, which caused the market to trade $3 to $5 lower. However, in Eastern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, feeder cattle prices were steady to $3 higher.

Klassen: Feeder cattle experience weather market

U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures mixed, hog futures lower, amid demand questions
Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures ended Monday mixed, after conflicting market signals sent feeder cattle futures lower and nearby live cattle contracts slightly higher. Lean hog futures eased, as market participants wrestled with growing uncertainty over consumer demand for meat as the U.S. enters into the traditional summer grilling season. In […] Read more

Tyson Foods shares sink on worries over consumer demand, third quarter
Reuters – Tyson Foods TSN.N shares were on track for their worst one-day decline in a year on Monday after the U.S. meatpacker warned that consumers are under pressure from persistent inflation and high commodity costs could weigh on upcoming results. The Arkansas-based meatpacker reported second-quarter sales that fell short of analysts’ estimates, though profits […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME cattle stabilize after bird flu roils markets
Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures stabilized on Friday after U.S. testing of ground beef samples for H5N1 bird flu fuelled wild swings, but markets still closed lower for the week. Live cattle and feeder cattle futures had rallied on Thursday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture said the samples from retail […] Read more

CFIA declares gene editing safe for livestock feed
Glacier FarmMedia – Leaders in Canada’s grain industry are praising the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for confirming gene edited crops are safe to use as livestock feed. Today, the Canola Council of Canada, the Canada Grains Council and Cereals Canada “applauded” the CFIA for its new guidance on gene editing. “This is a ground-breaking day […] Read more

Schoepp: For sale signs of the times
Should farms consider ecological diversity as a risk management tool?
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s spring and the time of year that farmland often changes hands. The “for sale” sign signals an end to trial and triumph and always invites curious conversations. This spring, there is an increase of sales in certain sectors. Sales driven by land stress and owners’ inability to financially weather another storm. Tree fruits and […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures jump after US ground beef tests negative for bird flu
Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures rallied on Thursday after the U.S. government said retail samples of ground beef tested negative for the bird flu virus.

U.S. livestock: Bird-flu testing of US ground beef sinks CME cattle futures
Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures took a dive on Wednesday on concerns that U.S. government tests of ground beef for the bird flu virus will harm consumer demand.

Don’t let furry friends fall to bird flu
Cats reported sick, dying from H5N1 infection; CFIA offers tips to help keep pets safe
According to the CFIA, animals that hunt, scavenge or otherwise consume infected birds are at risk. For example, cats that go outdoors may hunt and consume an infected bird. Dogs may scavenge dead birds. “If your pet has found a sick or dead bird or other wildlife, report it to your regional avian influenza hotline or the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative,” advises the CFIA.

Bird flu testing shows more dairy products are safe, US FDA says
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Wednesday that preliminary results of additional testing of more dairy products has shown that pasteurization inactivates the bird flu virus.