Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were $3 to as much as $6 higher, but calf prices were relatively unchanged. Major feedlot operators were very aggressive on heavier calves and yearlings weighing 700-850 lbs. Yearlings over 850 lbs. were also well bid but not as strong as their lighter-weight counterparts. Feed barley prices […] Read more
Klassen: Stronger demand drives feeder market
Bob Lowe re-elected as CCA president
Reading Time: < 1 minute Bob Lowe has been re-elected as president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. The Nanton rancher and feedlot operator took over the CCA job just as the pandemic arrived and while dealing with issues arising from COVID remains a priority, there are other matters on the organization’s plate. Those include making the Livestock Price Insurance Program […] Read more
Nearly two decades on, BSE class-action lawsuit goes to trial
The trial is expected to last until late June and it may be next year before a verdict is handed down
Reading Time: 3 minutes A long-awaited class-action lawsuit which could award Canadian ranchers and dairy farmers reparations for damages caused from bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is finally before the courts. The class-action lawsuit against the federal government, initially launched in 2005, centres around cattle imported from the U.K. and Ireland from 1982 to 1990, when Ottawa banned the importation […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market digests USDA acreage report
Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets were relatively unchanged. Lower flesh yearlings appeared to trade $2-$3 higher in certain pockets of Alberta but replacements carrying excessive butter experienced severe discounts of $6 to as much as $10 in some cases. October and December live cattle futures made fresh contract highs, which underpinned […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market exhibits defensive tone
March 30 — Compared to the previous week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded steady to $3 lower on average. Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis in the range of $245-$249 delivered, down from the average value of $250 seven days earlier. Deteriorating feeding margins set a negative tone for the […] Read more
JBS profit bolstered by weak currency, strong Chinese and U.S. markets
China became third largest beef export market for JBS Canada, company says
Sao Paulo | Reuters — Meat processor JBS SA’s fourth-quarter profit rose 65 per cent from a year earlier, boosted by strong food sales in China and the U.S. and a sharp devaluation of Brazil’s real currency, the company said in a securities filing on Wednesday. For full-year 2020 its profit was 4.6 billion reais, […] Read more
Matchmaking: Select cattle genetics that are a fit for your operation
Factors such as forage quality or even how far cattle walk can be key when selecting genetics
Reading Time: 4 minutes Putting cattle into an environment that doesn’t suit them is like jamming a round peg in a square hole — you might be able to make it work, but it’s going to take some effort. “Genetic selection is really about putting DNA into production,” said Vermilion-area beef producer Sean McGrath. “You’re buying DNA and you’re […] Read more
Wowk takes the helm of new Alberta Beef board
Reading Time: < 1 minute Melanie Wowk of Beauvallon is the new chair of the revamped board of Alberta Beef Producers, which has reduced the number of zones, delegates and directors. Jason Hale of Bassano takes over Wowk’s role as vice-chair, Brodie Haugan of Orion is the new finance chair, and Pine Lake producer Kelly Smith-Fraser is the past chair. […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market remains volatile
Feed grain values remain firm
Last week, western Canadian yearling markets were traded $2-$4 above week-ago levels from Monday through Wednesday; however, buyers backed away from the market on Thursday and Friday as feeder cattle futures fell nearly $7 from Wednesday’s high. By the end of the week, yearlings were relatively unchanged from week-ago levels. Calf prices were relatively flat […] Read more
Beef trade gap seen growing as U.K. pact clears Parliament
Interim post-Brexit trade deal gets royal assent
Canada’s beef cattle producers are warning of a growing beef trade deficit, not only between Canada and the European Union but between Canada and the United Kingdom, as a new stopgap U.K. trade pact nears its launch. International Trade Minister Mary Ng on Friday announced Canada is ratifying the Canada-U.K. Trade Continuity Agreement (TCA), after […] Read more