Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures edged higher on Monday, supported by rising feeder cattle values and firm wholesale beef prices as Labor Day, the last big grilling holiday of summer, approaches. CME August live cattle futures LCQ2 settled up 0.325 cent at 136.775 cents per lb and the most-active October […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle, feeder cattle futures rise; lean hogs end lower
U.S. livestock: Live cattle firms on firm beef demand; cash market lifts hogs
Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures climbed on Friday, supported by robust beef prices that are likely to remain strong as retailers prepare for Labor Day demand through the month of August. “The retailer will have beef going into the meat case, and that’s going to keep the product market together,” […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hog futures gain as cash index climbs
Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures climbed on Wednesday, after being lower for two days, supported by a strong cash market, as analysts watch for market-ready hog numbers to begin seasonally moving higher. “The cash hog strength is impressive,” said Matthew Wiegand, Risk Management Consultant at FuturesOne. CME’s nearby August lean […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle futures ease as ranchers push forward marketing amid drought
Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures eased on Tuesday, pressured by softening cash cattle prices as ranchers trim herds amid prolonged drought in the Southern U.S. Plains. “Marketing is getting pushed forward. Cows are being sent to market because of herd liquidation,” said Doug Houghton, technical analyst at Brock Capital Management. […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market experiences calm before upcoming storm
Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $2-$4 on either side of unchanged. Once again, overall volumes were limited, with small strings and singles moving through auction barns. The quality was quite variable and offbeat stragglers were quite common. Buyers incorporate a risk discount on these cattle; therefore, prices do not represent […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Gains in cattle futures limited by smaller cattle on feed placements
Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures firmed on Monday as drought conditions across the U.S. Southern Plains continue to degrade grazing land, though gains were limited by smaller-than-expected declines in feedlot placements, analysts said. Ranchers have been pushing cattle into feedlots at higher rates as parched grassland struggles to support herds, […] Read more
Klassen: Tighter fundamentals support feeder complex
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were steady to $2 higher on average while calf markets were up $2-$4. There was an increase in activity over the past week, although many auction barns remain in holiday mode. Major feedlot operators in southern Alberta were extremely aggressive on yearlings fresh off grass and this […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market adjusts for lower barley prices
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices climbed $2-$4 on average. Calf markets were unchanged. For the second week in a row, the market was hard to define due to limited numbers on offer. Small packages under five head and single stragglers were common. Larger groups of green thin yearlings were well bid by […] Read more
Massive new feedlot working out as planned, says owner
A lot happened while Kevin Serfas built his new operation but he says you must take the long view
Reading Time: 4 minutes The cattle business is never boring. The last two years have produced many hair-raising situations for Alberta’s cattle producers and that’s been the case for feedlot owner Kevin Serfas, who has undertaken a massive feedyard expansion. Based in Turin, about 50 kilometres north of Lethbridge, he runs Serfas Farms, a sizeable grain farm and feeder […] Read more
JBS to automate beef warehousing at Brooks
Packer to replace current fully manual system
International meat packer JBS has enlisted a major robotics and automation company to overhaul the warehousing system at one of Canada’s biggest beef plants. JBS Foods Canada on Friday announced a $71 million project in partnership with New Zealand-based Scott Technology, to design and build a system that can handle and store up to 85,000 […] Read more
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