Chicago/Washington | Reuters — Smithfield Foods is missing about a third of its employees at a South Dakota pork plant because they are quarantined or afraid to return to work after a severe coronavirus outbreak, according to the workers’ union. Tyson Foods was forced to briefly close its Storm Lake, Iowa plant — a month […] Read more
U.S. meatpacking workers often absent after plants ordered to reopen
"There's still so many risks"
U.S. livestock: Futures up as meat production grows
Live cattle up off last week's lows
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures rose on Monday, after plunging to their lowest price in more than a month last week, amid signs of meat production increasing — even as cash market prices continue to strain livestock producers’ profits. Chicago Mercantile Exchange August live cattle rose 0.675 cents, to 96 cents (all […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures touch one-month low
Improving production pressures hog futures
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures dropped to their lowest price in more than a month on Friday, weighed down by expectations for increasing meat production. Beef output has improved as slaughterhouses have resumed operations after closing temporarily in April and May due to outbreaks of the new coronavirus among plant workers. The […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Lean hog futures down on large supplies
CME August cattle also close lower
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures extended a decline on Thursday under pressure from large supplies and rebounding pork production, analysts said. Traders expect meat packers to have ample hogs to slaughter after livestock backed up on farms when processing plants temporarily closed in April and May because of COVID-19 outbreaks among meatpacking […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hogs weaken on expectations for abundant supplies
Cattle futures seen as rangebound
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures fell on Wednesday on expectations for abundant pork supplies as meat processors work their way through pigs that backed up on farms when slaughterhouses shut due to the coronavirus pandemic. Traders expect meat packers to start eating into the backlog of hogs within the next two weeks […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle set one-week highs in rebound
Chicago lean hogs close lower
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures rose on Tuesday, reaching one-week highs in a rebound from losses last week, as traders noted that meat companies have been slaughtering more livestock. The number of livestock being killed each day has recovered from April and May, when processors temporarily shut slaughterhouses due to massive outbreaks […] Read more
Livestock research gets even more complicated during pandemic
Cattle groups have tips for conducting on-farm research — two pages’ worth
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Beef Cattle Research Council, and Canadian Beef Breeds Council has put together a two-page list of guidelines to follow if research is being conducted on your ranch or feedlot. Topping that list is: “Consider postponing on-farm research activities that require more than one person or interaction with farm operators whenever possible […] Read more
Klassen: Canadian feeder market divorces from U.S. values
Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle prices were relatively unchanged. Lower volumes were on offer across the Prairies and the quality was quite variable at smaller sales. Many auction barns are in summer mode; however, there were decent volumes in the major feeding regions of Alberta. Strong feedlot demand was evident on quality […] Read more
Elanco gets EU’s conditional antitrust OK for Bayer deal
Approval calls for sale of Vecoxan brand, among others
Reuters/Staff — Elanco Animal Health secured antitrust clearance on Monday from the European Union to buy Bayer’s veterinary drugs unit, after pledging to sell some products to address competition concerns about the US$7.6 billion deal. The European Commission said the companies will sell either Elanco or Bayer’s products or those in the pipeline, including licenses, […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle stabilize, beef prices fall further
Technical buying supports CME lean hogs
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures stabilized on Monday after falling last week as beef prices weakened, traders said. The market is expected to remain under pressure as beef production continues to recover from disruptions in April and May linked to coronavirus outbreaks among workers at meatpacking plants. Meat processors slaughtered an estimated […] Read more
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