Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle prices were quite variable. Compared to seven days earlier, Alberta feeder prices were unchanged to $5 lower; however, the markets in northern Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba were down $5 to as much as $10 in some cases. Weakness in the yearling markets spilled over into the lighter […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market remains vulnerable
U.S. livestock: Cattle futures limit up as beef prices surge
Hog futures also limit up, following cattle higher
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures rose their daily limit on Monday, lifted by strong packer margins, rising wholesale beef prices and expectations of higher cash cattle prices this week after Tyson Foods said it would pay producers a one-time premium, traders said. Benchmark June live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange […] Read more
COVID-19 shifts bull buyers online
As auction marts move to curb the disease's spread, technology is connecting buyers and sellers
As bull sale season stretches into the spring, online sales are helping the industry cut COVID-19 risks while facilitating commerce. The Livestock Market Association of Canada (LMAC) last week held an emergency meeting on how to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, and decided to follow Health Canada’s lead on limiting crowd size and encouraging social […] Read more
Plans in development to get temp foreign workers into Canada
Maximum stay for 'low-wage' stream workers extended to two years
Canada now plans to seek authorizations for flights to get foreign temporary and seasonal farm workers into the country, Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said Saturday. The federal government said this week that temporary foreign workers (TFWs) and workers coming to Canada under the Seasonal Agriculture Worker Program (SAWP) will be exempt from the current federal […] Read more
Beef sector mobilizes against supply disruptions
Keeping border open, meeting demand for beef are top priorities
Teams of livestock and government officials are quickly creating plans and policies to keep the sector functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic, says the executive vice-president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. “Our primary objective obviously is to insure there is stable beef production and trade that can continue under the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dennis […] Read more
Ahead of any emergency, plan for the worst
Disaster planning is not a pleasant task but it's vital that producers have a plan, expert says
Identify your resources and review your plan, says an expert in emergency planning for livestock. The COVID-19 pandemic is a very different type of emergency, said Rebecca Husted, a teacher of technical large animal emergency rescue. “Most disasters like fires and floods have people moving around, but in COVID-19, people are not supposed to move […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hog, cattle futures rise on cash market strength
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. livestock futures rose on Friday on a spate of technical buying as the market tried to recover from its steep discount to the cash market, traders said. Strong demand from consumers at grocery stores due to worries about the coronavirus underpinned the gains. “They want to have as much meat […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle, hogs rebound with grocery demand in focus
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. livestock futures rose on Thursday, part of a broad recovery in the agriculture markets stemming from a rebound in crude oil prices and export hopes, traders said. Strong demand for meat in the retail sector underpinned the gains as the industry scrambled to restock grocery stores as the coronavirus pandemic […] Read more
The basics for handling freshly weaned calves at feedlots
Rest and getting them on feed and water are simple things but they take planning and management
Reading Time: 5 minutes Stress can have a big impact on calves and if not managed properly, freshly weaned calves heading to a feed yard can be very susceptible to pneumonia and other illnesses. While herd health veterinarians and feedlot production specialists can each have slightly different approaches to getting new feeders ramped up to the intended full-feed ration, […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle, hogs fall on demand uncertainty
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. livestock futures fell on Wednesday, pressured by sharp declines in the equities markets and uncertainty about demand due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The cattle and hog markets surged on Tuesday because of strength in the cash market after consumers cleared out grocery store shelves in anticipation of being homebound […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
