Quebec meat packing firm Olymel called off shifts Wednesday at its Beauce-region pork slaughter plant due to potential flood threats. Olymel, the meat processing arm of agrifood co-operative Coop Federee, said it decided to cancel Wednesday’s evening and night shifts at its plant at Vallee-Jonction, about 60 km south of Quebec City, due to concerns […] Read more
Que. flood concerns briefly shut Olymel pork plant
U.S. livestock: Pork price rebound rallies CME hogs
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures on Wednesday settled higher after a choppy day of trading, supported by unexpectedly strong demand for pork at wholesale, traders said. Wednesday morning’s wholesale pork price turned $2.38 per hundredweight (cwt) higher at $124.11, after falling $2.68 the day before, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture […] Read more
PEDv seen pushing U.S. 2014 pork production down two per cent
Reuters — U.S. pork production is likely to decline about two per cent this year due to the spread of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED), the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in its monthly livestock outlook report. Live hog prices were expected to increase as a result of the pig virus, the report said. As of […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cash price uncertainty weakens CME live cattle
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle turned lower, pressured by profit-taking and uncertainty regarding this week’s slaughter-ready or cash prices, traders said. Bullish participants see packers paying steady to higher money for cattle to be delivered during the first full slaughter week after the Easter holiday. They also cited possible beef cutout […] Read more
USDA seen considering mandatory reports of PEDv outbreaks
Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. government is considering rules that would require outbreaks of a deadly pig virus to be reported to the government in an effort to improve tracking of the disease, which has already spread to 30 states, an industry group said Monday. Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) has killed millions of […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Fund buying sends CME hogs mostly higher
Chicago | Reuters — Most Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog contracts gained ground on Monday with help from fund buying and anticipation of reduced production in the weeks ahead, traders and analysts said. Some packing plants plan to be dark during the Easter holiday weekend, limiting their need for hogs. Processors have already cut operations as […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Fund buying extends CME live cattle gains
Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle gained for a fourth straight day on Friday on short-covering and fund buying after futures broke through technical resistance levels, traders said. April live cattle closed up 0.85 cents per pound to 144.85 cents, after topping the 10-day and 20-day moving averages of 144.255 and 144.756 […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME hogs, live cattle finish mostly lower
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hogs settled mostly lower on Thursday following a choppy day of trading. Lead-month April hogs, which will expire on April 14, drew support from its discount to CME’s hog index at 128.62 cents (all figures US$). Profit-taking stirred by nervousness about market-ready, or cash, hog prices in the […] Read more
PEDv found in hogs at W. Manitoba site
Veterinary officials in Manitoba are following up with hog farmers who’ve taken animals through an unnamed “high-traffic site” after a “small number” of hogs held there were confirmed positive for porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED). In its preliminary investigation, the office of Manitoba’s chief veterinary officer (CVO) finds it likely that the PED-positive pigs picked up […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME hogs settle higher after volatile session
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hogs finished higher on Wednesday with June up the three-cent limit as fund buying and short-covering beat back early losses, traders said. Futures raced to catch up to CME’s hog index at 129.19 cents (all figures US$). April hogs closed up 1.725 cents per pound to 125.025 cents, […] Read more