Reading Time: 3 minutes I’ve heard it said on the feeder side that high-risk cattle are the most profitable. The argument is that when you run the numbers and take into account morbidity, mortality and all other costs, these cattle have the potential to make the most profit at the end of the day. Of course the big factor […] Read more
Beef 911: The goal should always be to produce the healthiest cattle
We need to ditch the notion that high-risk cattle are somehow the most profitable
Klassen: Yearling market remains red hot
Barley harvest well underway in southern Alberta
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were $2-$4 higher on average; however, in southern Alberta, yearlings traded $6-$8 above week-ago levels. A few auction barns in Alberta held their first feature sales of the fall run and buyers showed up with both hands. The quality of yearlings coming off grass is excellent and […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures snap losing streak
Large supplies pressure CME hog futures
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures jumped on Monday in a rebound off a run of losses, while lean hog futures closed weaker. Live cattle were due for a rebound after falling last week amid pressure from weakness in the cash market, traders said. Short covering helped lift prices, they said. […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle futures down again
CME lean hog futures also weaker
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle and hog futures weakened on Friday in anticipation of a seasonal demand slowdown following the Labour Day holiday, traders said. The losses in the futures market stemmed from weekly declines in the cash markets. CME benchmark October live cattle fell 1.25 cents to close at 104.9 cents/lb., […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle futures extend losing streak
Hog futures edge higher
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle dropped for the sixth day in a row on Thursday, with weakness in the cash market that stemmed from a glut of supplies spilling over into futures prices, traders said. Traders shrugged off signs of rising demand from China, which made its largest weekly U.S. beef purchases […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures drop as supplies assessed
'Maybe the cash cattle market is stalling out here'
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle and hog futures fell on Wednesday. The cattle market faced pressure from weakness in the cash market that stemmed from the ample supplies reflected in the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Cattle on Feed report issued on Friday. “It is the belief that maybe the cash cattle market is […] Read more
Cattle markets: Situation isn’t good but outlook is much better
There's been a 'pretty good recovery' but there's a long ways to go, Canfax official says
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s been a roller-coaster year and while the ride isn’t over for the cattle sector, the worst may be behind it. “This year has been pretty extreme, but we’ve had a pretty good recovery,” CANFAX manager Brian Perillat said during a presentation at the virtual Canadian Beef Industry Conference. “Things are much better than earlier […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hog futures rise as pork supplies shrink
Texas cash cattle prices down on week
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures rose to their highest level in nearly three months on Tuesday after government data showed that the reopening of pork plants after a rash of COVID-19 shutdowns had not boosted supplies. Cattle futures were lower, pressured by signs of weakness in the cash markets, traders said. […] Read more
Klassen: Yearling prices on fire
Canada's cattle herd remains in contraction stage
Compared to last week, yearlings coming off grass traded $3-$5 higher; backgrounded yearlings were $1-$3 higher on average while calf markets were relatively unchanged. February and April live cattle futures closed marginally lower for the week; however, fed cattle basis levels from U.S. packers are very strong for winter and spring. This appears to be […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle futures fall as supplies grow more than expected
U.S. frozen pork inventory at nine-year low
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures fell on Monday, with the market under pressure from a government report that showed supplies were bigger than expected. The U.S. Agriculture Department’s monthly Cattle on Feed report on Friday afternoon showed July placements at 111 per cent of a year ago, above the average estimate […] Read more
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