This scene from a new video on esophageal feeding illustrates a couple of points — the calf’s head is in a neutral position and the animal is backed into a corner so it can be properly restrained.

You gotta know how to hold ’em when inserting a feeding tube in a calf

Tube feeding a calf is often a critical intervention but you need to have a good technique

Reading Time: 2 minutes The Beef Cattle Research Council has released a new video called “The Ins and Outs of Esophageal Feeding.” The title is a reference to one of the main points of the video, namely that when tube feeding a calf, the feeding tube should go easily into the esophagus — and if not, you need to […] Read more

CME April 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle end higher on rising slaughter pace

Hogs up in rangebound trade

Chicago | Reuters — Benchmark Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures hit the highest in nearly a month on Monday, supported by an improving U.S. slaughter pace and signs of a shrinking U.S. cattle herd, traders said. CME April live cattle futures settled 1.425 cents higher at 144.525 cents/lb. after reaching 144.825 cents, the contract’s […] Read more


File photo of Canadian beef on display in a grocery store in the Philippines. (Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Philippines ends import block on Canadian beef

Ban imposed following atypical BSE finding

The Philippines has lifted the temporary suspension on imports of Canadian beef it imposed after the discovery of Canada’s first case of BSE in six years. Manila had announced its temporary ban following the confirmation in mid-December of atypical BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) in a beef cow in central Alberta. Korea imposed and later lifted […] Read more

CME April 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures up with daily slaughter levels

Hogs up on technical buying, cash prices

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures firmed on Friday as daily processing levels began to rebound, a sign that COVID-related staffing woes may be easing, traders said. Meatpackers have struggled with staffing shortages due to the surge in Omicron coronavirus infections, traders said, limiting production in recent weeks. Beef processors slaughtered an […] Read more


Compensation is available for livestock producers but first some detective work needs to be done.

When a predator attacks, wildlife officers need to solve the whodunit

Compensation is available for livestock producers but first some detective work needs to be done

Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s always stressful when a predator injures or kills livestock, and the process for getting compensation can be stressful, too. But attendees at a recent webinar by a provincial wildlife officer got a look at the process from the investigator’s point of view. One of the key points made by Alex Bolland is that the […] Read more

CME April 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, brown and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs drop on profit-taking, technical selling

Faster slaughter pace drags on cattle futures

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures fell on Thursday, dragged by technical selling and profit-taking following a recent rally to contract highs. Tight U.S. hog supplies had fueled the recent gains and remained a supportive factor, but the market was oversold. “We had a key reversal in April hogs yesterday and […] Read more


Getting a payoff from genetic data at the ranch level isn’t an easy task but that’s the goal of the Canadian Beef Improvement Network.

Initiative aims to turn beef genetic data into cash at the ranch level

The keys are getting data into a useful form and then creating easy-to-use tools for ranchers, say advocates

Reading Time: 3 minutes How can the cattle industry make better use of genetic data? It’s a question that the Canadian Beef Improvement Network is trying to solve. “It’s really about translating the genetic information within the industry so we can replicate the positive and start to remove the inefficiencies that we have,” said Sandy Russell, CEO of the […] Read more

CME April 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle up on improved slaughter pace

Lean hogs down on profit-taking

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures finished higher on Wednesday on technical buying and as rising U.S. slaughter rates eased concerns about cattle supply backups. Cattle processing rates have ramped up after pandemic-related staffing shortages at some meat plants. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimated Wednesday’s cattle slaughter at 118,000 […] Read more


CME April 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs hit new contract high on slim supply

CME April live cattle up slightly

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures climbed to a new contract high on Tuesday on concerns about tightening U.S. supplies, analysts said. Nearby live cattle and feeder cattle futures also strengthened. U.S. cold storage data, issued after the markets closed on Monday, was supportive for hog and cattle futures, analysts said. […] Read more

(Blair Cameron photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder market softens on tight feed grain supply

Ontario buying interest subsides

Compared to last week, prices for yearling steers were down $2-$4 while yearling heifers were down $4 to as much as $8. Calf markets were down $3-$6 from last week. Negative feeding margins, colder temperatures and tight feed grain supplies were the three main factors setting a negative tone in the feeder market. Rail imports […] Read more