Livestock
Reading Time: 3 minutes New research is showing that animal feed can carry viruses, including the one that causes African swine fever. It’s a threat that must be thwarted, Scott Dee, veterinarian and director of applied research for Minnesota-based Pipestone Veterinary Services, told attendees at the virtual 2021 Banff Pork Seminar in January. “We’ve got to work together,” said […] Read more
Contaminated feed a risk that can’t be ignored, says expert
It’s clear that viruses, including African swine fever, can be transmitted via feed ingredients
U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures dip on slaughter delays
Lower supply expectations support hog futures
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures fell on Thursday as short-term processing delays caused by power outages and frigid weather backed up cattle and softened cash prices, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange April live cattle futures settled down 1.225 cents at 122.925 cents/lb., while the spot February contract ended 0.175 cents lower at […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures sag as weather stalls slaughter pace
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle and hog futures declined on Wednesday as wintry weather and power outages hampered meat-packing operations, slowing the pace of slaughter and reducing demand for market-ready animals, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange April live cattle futures settled down 1.65 cents at 124.15 cents/lb., while the spot February contract ended down […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures mostly firm on wintry Plains weather
April hogs stay within Friday's range
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed mostly higher on Tuesday as frigid conditions gripped the U.S. Plains and Midwest, limiting the movement of animals into meat plants and threatening to reduce cattle weights, traders said. However, rallies were limited as wintry weather and power outages prompted meat-packing plants to slow the slaughter […] Read more
Transitioning the shod horse to barefoot can be challenging
Start with a hoof assessment and look for problems that may have gone unnoticed
Reading Time: 4 minutes Horse owners decide to transition their horses from shod to barefoot for a number of reasons — curiosity, cost, research, friends, frustrating lamenesses, and unfortunately at times a death sentence due to a diagnosis of intractable navicular disease or laminitis. But the journey towards barefooting is often not without its challenges — yet this is […] Read more
Olymel to close Red Deer hog plant against COVID-19
Hog deliveries suspended 'until further notice'
Meat packer Olymel plans to temporarily close its hog slaughter and pork processing plant at Red Deer, Alta., winding down that facility’s operations starting this week against a rapidly spreading COVID-19 outbreak among workers. The plant, one of Canada’s largest by slaughter capacity at over 45,000 hogs per week, has notified its hog suppliers and […] Read more
Klassen: Cold weather slows feeder cattle market activity
Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle prices were relatively unchanged. Extreme temperatures blanketed Western Canada last week. Many auction barns cancelled sales or had limited numbers on offer. Buyers attended sales either in person or via the internet, which was supportive to the overall price structure. Many backgrounders and cow-calf producers delayed sales […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle futures rally
Cold U.S. weather in focus
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures rallied on Friday, supported by cold weather in the United States that was making it hard to put weight on animals. “Weather remains front and center for cattle producers, bitter cold temps will be with us through the weekend and also some sizable snow totals in the southeast […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hogs rise to four-month high on supply woes
February live cattle down, April up
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures rose for the seventh time in eight sessions on Thursday, hitting a four-month high on concerns about tight supplies, traders said. “There are a lot of empty barns out here,” Don Roose, president of U.S. Commodities in West Des Moines, Iowa said. Live cattle futures were mixed, with […] Read more
Boosting profits: Running the numbers while running the herd
Tracking data on your ranch makes for better decisions and more money in your jeans
Reading Time: 3 minutes Measuring and tracking your cattle can make a big difference — an extra 60 pounds per weaned calf. “The way you manage your herd all plays into what you have for pounds to market at the end of your calf crop when you’re weaning off your calves,” economist Kathy Larson said during a recent Beef […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
