Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures on Thursday settled higher for the first time in six sessions, helped by short-covering before the Easter holiday weekend, traders said. April live cattle ended 0.4 cent/lb. higher at 135.85, and June finished up 0.275 cent at 125.375 (all figures US$). The April contract led […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME live cattle snap five-day losing streak
Feed barley due for spring rally
CNS Canada –– Feed barley in Western Canada usually sees a spring rally at this time of year, although the uptrend this year will be limited by large supplies still overhanging the market. Feed grains had trended lower through late February and into early March, with feed wheat leading to the downside. Losses in feed […] Read more
France confirms new BSE case
Paris | Reuters –– France’s agriculture ministry confirmed Thursday a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) had been discovered in the northeastern region of Ardennes. The suspected case, found in a five-year-old cow, was identified last week during a test carried out on cattle older than 48 months after slaughter. The farm ministry said there […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME live cattle slump fourth straight day
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle settled in bearish territory for a fourth straight session, on leftover selling and fund liquidation after contracts dropped below technical support levels, traders said. April live cattle ended 1.925 cents/lb lower at 136.425, and June finished 1.7 cents lower at 126.15 (all figures US$). Both contracts […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle mixed across the Prairies
Market sentiment can be extremely variable and this week, we saw a large divergence in the price structure across the Prairies. Alberta feeder cattle prices were generally $3 to $6 higher and in some cases as much as $10 above week-ago levels. Buying interest appeared to fade moving east, with Manitoba markets dropping $4-$8 from […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME hogs see biggest one-day loss in three months
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures on Monday notched their biggest daily loss since last December, hit by technical selling and lower cash price expectations, traders said. April closed 2.1 cents/lb. lower at 69.35 cents, after drifting below the 40-day moving average of 70.31 cents (all figures US$). May ended 2.1 […] Read more
Cattle placed in U.S. feedlots jump to eight-year high
Chicago | Reuters — The number of cattle put into U.S. feedlots in February climbed 10 per cent from a year earlier to their highest level for that month in eight years, according to a government report released Friday. The placement results, which shed light on future prices for cattle and beef, surpassed industry forecasts […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle steady but demand remains sluggish
Western Canadian feeder cattle prices traded in line with week-ago levels on average, though the market was quite variable across the Prairies. Favourable temperatures in southern Alberta enhanced demand on all weight categories, especially on grassers from 500 to 650 lbs. Higher-quality backgrounded cattle were also $4-$8 higher in certain cases in Alberta. In Saskatchewan […] Read more
Monarch population rebounds, still well off highs
Austin, Tex. | Reuters — North America’s monarch butterflies are on a rebound and the number of the plucky orange and black creatures, which gather in Mexico before flying north to Canada, could soon stand at around 150 million, a new survey showed on Feb. 26. The survey from a scientist at Natural Resources Defense […] Read more
Cropland conversion program seeing increased uptake
Program gives rebates on Proven Seed forages for producers putting cropland into grass
Reading Time: < 1 minute There’s increased interest in a program that offers producers a price break when converting cropland to forages, says Ducks Unlimited Canada. “Declining prices for wheat and other cereal crops, as well as a simultaneous increase in beef prices, are leading many landowners to seriously consider the move to increase their cattle herd,” said Craig Bishop, […] Read more