Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures rallied to a fresh seven-year high on Monday, lifted by expectations for tightening supplies following a monthly U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) cattle supply report, traders said. Several actively traded nearby contracts posted life-of-contract highs after the USDA’s cattle-on-feed report, released after the market closed on […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures jump to 7-year peak as U.S. herd shrinks
Calf prices are strong, but the road to recovery will be a long one for many
Demand up, supply down, but many producers still ‘digging their way out of last year’
Reading Time: 3 minutes Strong domestic and international demand coupled with dwindling supply is raising North American calf prices but cashed-strapped farmers are still struggling. At the end of September, calf prices were about $272 per hundredweight, up 21 per cent from a year ago, said Brenna Grant, executive director of Canfax. [RELATED] A NEW DAWN: Cattle producers get […] Read more
Klassen: Uncertain fed cattle market weighs on feeder cattle
U.S. feeder demand seen relatively sluggish
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearlings (900 lbs. and over) appeared to trade $6-$8 lower on average; yearlings weighing 800-900 lbs. off grass were unchanged. Backgrounded yearlings were also $6-$8 lower. Mid-weight calves were unchanged but calves under 600 lbs. were $3 to as much as $10 lower in some cases. Feedlot operators pulled […] Read more
Follow the money: benchmarking can tell you where to look
National cow-calf cost of production network offers insights on boosting profitability
Reading Time: 3 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – The Beef Cattle Research Council wants the third and final year of data collection to fill gaps in a national cow-calf cost of production network. The goal is to allow producers to compare metrics with farms in their region that share the same management practices. “Are you competitive and comparable with others […] Read more
Klassen: Stronger barley prices limit upside for feeder cattle complex
Feedlot operators make barley purchases, price feeder cattle accordingly
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $2 higher to as much as $5 lower. A softer tone was noted on yearlings in the eastern Prairie regions. Calf prices were steady to $4 lower on average compared to seven days earlier. Quality yearling packages fresh off grass held value but backgrounded heavier replacements […] Read more
Take the long view by preparing for next year right now
There are several things to be thinking about now, including federal cash that’s up for grabs
Reading Time: 3 minutes Prepare for more dry times, grab hold of federal climate cash and keep watch for meaningful government action on the processing side. Those are three key recommendations from a prominent educator, a producer and a farm leader on positioning the ranch for 2023. Rainfall patterns have been different in the last three to five years […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hog futures mixed; cattle futures steady-weak
Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures ended mixed on Friday as traders waited for fresh news to gauge demand levels. The most-active CME December lean hog futures contract LHZ2 dropped 0.625 cent to 77.15 cents per lb, with support noted around the contract’s 10-day moving average. Front-month October hogs LHV2 rose 0.575 cents to settle […] Read more
Bovine Gastronomy: It turns out that garlic pairs well with minerals
Alberta researcher finds cattle will consume more mineral if it’s flavoured with fresh garlic
Reading Time: 3 minutes Just like many people do, cattle enjoy the taste of garlic, and as with humans, many swear the ‘stinking rose’ offers numerous health benefits for bovines. Garlic is rumoured to entice cattle to consume more minerals, have anti-fungal properties and even discourage horn flies from pestering them. “You would find these anecdotes on blogs,” said […] Read more
Klassen: Demand fears cause feeder cattle market volatility
Barley values continue upward
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $4 higher to as much as $6 lower. Strength was noted in the eastern Prairie regions while the market was softer in Alberta. Western Canadian calves were extremely volatile, trading $5 higher to as much as $10 lower in some cases. It’s not uncommon for markets […] Read more
Florida farmers scramble to reach cattle after Hurricane Ian
Chicago | Reuters — Farmers in Florida rushed to reach their cattle on Thursday after trees downed by Hurricane Ian broke fences used to contain the animals and rain from the fierce storm flooded fields used for grazing. One of the mightiest storms to hit the U.S. mainland in recent years, Ian flooded communities on […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
