Livestock
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. feeder cattle futures ended lower on Tuesday after nearing a six-week high as soaring corn prices signaled that feed costs will increase. Live cattle futures finished near unchanged after setting a fresh four-week high, and lean hog futures weakened. Rising crop prices hung over the markets after the U.S. Department […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Feeder cattle futures slump as corn prices surge
Hogs down off Monday's gains
Klassen: Feeder market experiencing bottoming behaviour
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were down $4-$6 on average; however, mid-weight and lighter calves traded $4 lower to as much as $8 higher. The market was extremely variable for calves. Early in the week, prices in the Lethbridge area were actually $10 above values from seven days earlier but this faded […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle futures surge on COVID-19 vaccine progress
USDA expected to trim estimates for feed crops
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures reached a four-week high on Monday and feeder cattle hit their highest prices in more than five weeks as progress toward a COVID-19 vaccine raised hopes for a quick economic recovery from the pandemic and increased beef demand. Lean hog futures also finished firmer. Commodity and equity […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures up despite slower slaughter
December lean hog futures drop
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures gained slightly on Friday after a week of range trading, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange December live cattle futures settled 0.3 cent higher at 108.65 cents/lb. (all figures US$). CME feeder cattle futures gained 0.525 cents to end at 135.925 cents/lb. For the week, live cattle futures […] Read more
Olds College acquires Red Angus herd
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canadian Red Angus Promotion Society has donated 10 purebred Red Angus heifer calves to Olds College. The animals will be used in “applied research projects that focus on production efficiency, animal health and welfare, and environmental sustainability,” said Sean Thompson, manager of the college’s Technology Access Centre for Livestock Production. “There will also be […] Read more
Pandemic spurs farm gate milk price hike
Dairy Commission to lift price effective Feb. 1 next year
With the COVID-19 pandemic in mind, the Canadian Dairy Commission has set aside its usual milk price adjustment formula and will instead increase the price based on its own review. The CDC on Monday announced the farm gate price of milk will increase by $1.46 per hectolitre (100 litres) effective Feb. 1, 2021, pending approval […] Read more
Feds back pork producers with new levy on imports
New national pork agency to be up and running next summer
A new agency will use funds from a new levy on imported pork to pay for research and promotion for the Canadian pork sector. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie Claude Bibeau on Thursday officially announced the creation of the Canadian Pork Promotion and Research Agency (PRA). The Farm Products Council of Canada (FPCC) and Agriculture and […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures up with boxed beef prices
Domestic consumption supportive for hogs
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures climbed on Thursday, supported by higher cash cattle and wholesale beef prices, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange December live cattle futures settled 0.475 cent higher at 108.35 cents/lb. (all figures US$). CME feeder cattle futures gained 0.25 cents to end at 135.4 cents/lb. “After four weeks in […] Read more
Denmark tightens lockdown as mink cull devastates industry
WHO and ECDC experts support Denmark's strategy
Copenhagen | Reuters — Denmark announced strict new lockdown rules on Thursday in the north of the country after authorities discovered a mutated coronavirus strain in minks bred in the region, prompting a nationwide cull that will devastate the large pelt industry. The government said on Wednesday that it would cull all minks — up […] Read more
A little here, a little there — how do you know when costs creep too high?
New cost-of-production program aims to offer cow-calf producers a better way to identify problem areas
Reading Time: 3 minutes Bad weather. Market volatility. The pandemic. There are a lot of things outside of your control as a cow-calf producer, but your cost of production doesn’t have to be one of them. “As the industry has been rocked by COVID-19, there is an opportunity for producers to examine what they can control — their cost […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
