Western Canadian yearling markets have traded in a sideways range over the past couple of weeks; major feedlot operators have been aggressive for 800-pound-plus feeders just off grass because these cattle are most efficient and therefore, most profitable. Grass yearlings were quoted steady to as much as $5 higher this past week. Backgrounded yearlings were […] Read more
Klassen: Quality features influence feeder cattle prices
U.S. livestock: Hog futures gain on export optimism
CME cattle down ahead of USDA report
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures markets climbed on Tuesday on optimism over China’s continued purchases of U.S. grains, traders said. Exporters sold 266,000 tonnes of U.S. soybeans to China and 264,000 tonnes to unknown destinations, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported on Tuesday, marking the 13th consecutive business day of sales to […] Read more
More food companies aim to wrangle cattle emissions
Nestle, Barry Callebaut trying out feed additives
Winnipeg | Reuters — Looking to improve milk production, California farmer John Verwey turned to a Swiss-made feed additive designed to make a cow more efficient while reducing methane emissions from cattle burps. The more a cow belches, the more it spends energy that could be used instead for milk production, Verwey reasoned. So two […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures fall with other commodities
Traders watching Germany's swine fever findings
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle and hog futures markets fell on Monday, following a broad-based commodity sell-off in the absence of any fresh bullish news, traders said. “It is just kind of risk-off trade,” said Matthew Wiegand, broker at FuturesOne. “Livestock was for the most part happy to follow along.” Chicago Mercantile Exchange October […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures end up on firm cash trade
Lean hog futures close mixed
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed modestly higher on Friday, supported by strength in cash cattle markets this week, but uncertainty about beef demand in the coming months capped rallies, analysts said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange October live cattle futures settled up 0.575 cent at 107.35 cents/lb. and December rose 0.525 cent to […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME hogs up on another swine fever case in Germany
Cash cattle values firming
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures rose on Thursday as Germany confirmed one more case of African swine fever in a wild boar, fueling market hopes that China will boost U.S. pork imports. The new case follows six others confirmed in wild boars, not farm animals, in the past week. While no farm animals […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME hog futures fall as China’s hog herd rebounds
CME December live cattle rise
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. livestock futures fell on Wednesday, as the futures market continues to cool in the wake of last week’s rally and on news that the size of China’s hog herd is quickly growing. Hog futures soared last week after Germany reported its first case of African swine fever (ASF) and China […] Read more
Sustainable beef is working — but don’t let up on the messaging
Pandemic has increased consumer interest in where food comes from, and that’s an opportunity
Reading Time: 4 minutes Does sustainable beef matter in a pandemic? ‘Yes,’ a restaurateur and food distributor said at the virtual Canadian Beef Industry Conference — prompting the two farmers on the panel discussion to call for more co-operation to get the word out on what ranchers are doing for the environment. The public is definitely interested, said Darren […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Futures mixed on pork export questions, cattle supplies
U.S. beef packer margins down on week
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. livestock futures had a mixed performance on Tuesday, as the supply of cattle being offered for sale continued to shrink and traders wrestled with uncertainty over pork export demand. An additional five cases of African swine fever (ASF) were initially found in dead wild boars in Germany. Initial tests were […] Read more
Cattle ranchers paired up with researchers in mentorship program
Pair of Lethbridge scientists matched with cow-calf producers from Alberta
Reading Time: 2 minutes Two AgCanada researchers in Lethbridge — a soil microbial ecologist and an expert in greenhouse gas emissions — are among the six scientists selected for a mentorship program put on by the Beef Cattle Research Council. The program pairs the researchers with innovative cattle producers and industry professionals — many from Alberta — for a one-year […] Read more
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