Livestock
Reading Time: < 1 minute Avian flu has wiped out more than 50 million chickens, turkeys and other poultry in the U.S. this year, making it the worst animal-health disaster to date and topping losses in the 2015 avian flu outbreak. It might have been worse had not producers increased biosecurity after the outbreak seven years ago. In 2015, about […] Read more
Avian flu outbreak worst ever
U.S. livestock: CME live cattle ease on seasonal retail softness
February hogs lower despite export optimism
Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange dipped on Wednesday, as easing post-holiday retail demand, combined with strong cash cattle prices, eats into processor profitability. “This week specifically is when we transition to buying for a lower-demand period, post-holidays,” said Rich Nelson, chief strategist at Allendale Inc. “Packer margins are […] Read more
Pork seminar back in Banff, and in person
Reading Time: < 1 minute The next edition of the Banff Pork Seminar will be an in-person event. However, presentations will be recorded so attendees of the Jan. 10-12 conference can view them online afterward. “This is one way delegates can be sure they get every bit of information from these industry leading presenters,” said Ashley Steeple, coordinator of the […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market experiences diverse price behaviour
Manitoba calves hold a premium over Sask., Alta.
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded steady to $2 higher while calf prices were unchanged to $4 lower. Yearling supplies are limited and there appeared to be a surge of buying interest for 850-lb. thin-fleshed replacements. Alberta fed cattle basis levels for the second quarter of 2023 have above average and the […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME live cattle fall on wholesale beef weakness
Feeder cattle, February hogs also lower
Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange slid on Tuesday, pressured by falling wholesale beef prices. “We had a really disappointing box beef value fall off to start the week yesterday, and a little follow through today,” said Matthew Wiegand, risk management consultant at FuturesOne. Most retailers have completed purchases […] Read more
Got delays? Game-changing milk plant still on hold
Dewatering milk would slash transport costs, but securing needed agreements has been complicated
Reading Time: 3 minutes It was hailed as a game-changer for Alberta’s milk sector but three years on, construction of a first-of-its-kind dairy concentration facility has yet to begin. “We thought the legal agreement, the regulatory oversight and the financing would take six to 12 months,” said Alberta Milk chair Stuart Boeve. “It wound up being two years so […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME feeder cattle firm as corn inputs slide
Live cattle climb higher in deferred months; February hogs also up
Chicago | Reuters — Feeder cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange firmed for the fifth consecutive session, as corn, a significant input for producers, continues to fall, traders said. “The feeders have sort of been hobbled for a long time because of the elevated feed price,” said Dennis Smith, livestock analyst and broker at […] Read more
Canadian Cattle Association president Reg Schellenberg dies
Saskatchewan rancher had led CCA since March
Updated, Dec. 7 — Western Saskatchewan rancher Reg Schellenberg, who had led the national organization representing Canada’s beef cattle producers since March this year, died suddenly Friday at age 63. The Canadian Cattle Association reported Schellenberg’s death in a release Saturday, adding that the association’s current vice-president, rancher Nathan Phinney of Sackville, N.B., will now […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME feeder, live cattle firm as trade eyes supplies
February lean hogs close higher
Chicago | Reuters — Feeder cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange firmed on Friday, supported by lower feed grain costs and resilient live cattle futures, traders said. “The market has held together well, so there’s optimism there. Then you’ve got the grain market down double digits today, and down the day before,” said Altin […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs firm with supplies in focus
Feeder cattle up on supply expectations
Chicago | Reuters — Lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange firmed on Thursday, erasing the week’s earlier losses as smaller supplies of market-ready hogs offset seasonal pressure. “Fundamentally, we know we’re fairly tight on supplies. We’re not getting expansion,” said Alan Brugler, president of Brugler Marketing. The CME February lean hogs contract added […] Read more