Compared to last week, Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were $2 lower to $3 higher depending on the region. Many auction markets were in holiday mode last week and thinner volumes made the market harder to define. Generally speaking, the market was supported by stronger deferred live cattle futures and a slightly weaker Canadian dollar; […] Read more
Klassen: Lighter calves end year on positive tone
U.S. livestock: Cattle futures hit six-week high; hog futures ease after rally
Chicago | Reuters – U.S. cattle futures rose for the sixth time in seven sessions on Thursday, hitting a six-week high on signs of strength in the cash market, traders said. Hog futures eased after four straight days of gains pushed the front-month contract to its highest in nearly two months on Wednesday. Volumes were […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hog futures rise to highest since late October; cattle firms
Chicago | Reuters – U.S. hog futures rose to their highest in nearly two months on Wednesday, supported by a round of technical buying and tight pork supplies. After the market closed on Tuesday, the U.S. government released a report that showed that domestic frozen pork belly stocks as of Nov. 30 stood at 23.111 […] Read more
Individual animal treatments are often worth pursuing
Beef 911: We focus on the herd, but it’s often worth it to treat problems specific to one animal
Reading Time: 3 minutes We focus on herd medicine, herd reproduction, production, biosecurity, animal welfare and marketing — and these, without a doubt, have a big impact on profitability as well as consumer acceptance. However, in cattle production there are still the individual cases which require our attention and can have favourable outcomes. Early detection and treatment increase our […] Read more
Klassen: Fed cattle prices supporting calf market
Alberta packers were buying fed cattle in the range of $139 to $140 last week, up $1 to $2 from seven days earlier. Strength in the nearby fed cattle market along with the recent rally in the live cattle futures has been supportive for calves under 600 pounds. Compared to last week, Western Canadian yearling […] Read more
Ontario’s beef set-aside AgriRecovery plan underway
Applications for first intake due Dec. 22
A set-aside program has formally been launched to help Ontario’s 6,800-odd cattle producers maintain market-ready animals while Eastern Canada’s biggest beef slaughter plant remains closed. Federal and provincial officials on Monday announced applications are now open for the Canada-Ontario COVID-19 AgriRecovery Beef Emergency Feed Maintenance Initiative, with applications for the first intake period due by […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle futures weaken on technical setback
Hog futures up ahead of USDA data
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures eased on Monday, setting back on some mild technical selling after three days of gains, while hog futures edged higher, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) February live cattle futures settled 0.2 cent lower at 114.65 cents/lb. (all figures US$). The contract hit its highest since Nov. […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle futures firm as cash market rebound seen
Hog report expected to show smaller herd
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures rose for the third day in a row on Friday, on expectations that the cash market would rebound from recent lows in the coming days. Traders also viewed a government report that showed cattle placements during November were down sharply from a year earlier as bullish. “The […] Read more
Coffee, Cows & Crops podcasts launched
Reading Time: < 1 minute Peace Country Beef and Forage Association is creating podcasts to “share ideas supported by sound science and practical wisdom.” The Coffee, Cows & Crops podcasts can be found at peacecountrybeef.ca. One is on continuous cropping and adaptive management in which Jay Byer (soil conservation analyst, Gateway Research Organization) talks about management systems on marginal land. […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle futures firm
Hogs weak despite big pork exports
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures rose to a two-week high on Thursday, their second straight day of gains, on technical buying, traders said. Hog futures were weaker despite signs of strong pork exports and firm demand from China. Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) February live cattle futures settled up 0.675 cent at 114.45 cents/lb. […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
