Livestock
The Canadian dairy industry has missed a self-imposed deadline for the Feb. 1 implementation of a national ingredients strategy — but work continues toward that implementation. The strategy is meant to create a lower-priced class of milk, Class 7, to encourage the use of skim milk powder in further-processed ingredients. Ontario has already independently implemented […] Read more
Dairy sector still working toward ingredients strategy
China bird flu deaths surge in what could be worst season ever
Beijing | Reuters — As many as 79 people died from H7N9 bird flu in China last month, the government said, stoking worries that the spread of the virus this season could be the worst on record. January’s fatalities were up to four times higher than the same month in past years, and brought the […] Read more
EU, Canada secure clearance to kick-start free trade deal
Strasbourg | Reuters — The European Union and Canada secured clearance on Wednesday for their contentious free trade deal and the removal of import duties that supporters say will boost growth and jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. The two parties can claim a success for their open markets policy after months of protest […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Firmer beef quote rallies CME live cattle
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures posted strong gains on Tuesday, reversing Monday’s selloff, fueled by short-covering and wholesale beef price rebound, said traders. Technical buying ensued after investors bought the February contract and simultaneously sold deferred months in a trading strategy known as bull spreads. February live cattle closed 1.45 […] Read more
CCIA releases tag retention report
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency has released its final report on its tag retention project. The four-year study tracked 2,000 calves, 1,000 yearlings, and 700 cows with RFID ear tags. The overall tag retention rate for calves exceeded 96 per cent while tag retention for yearlings ranged from 98 to 100 per cent. However, the […] Read more
The lowdown on how TB is managed
Webinar scheduled for March 2
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Beef Cattle Research Council is hosting a webinar on understanding bovine TB and how it is managed in Canada. The March 2 webinar will provide background information on bovine tuberculosis, including how the bacteria functions, how the disease spreads, and the testing process. Canada’s surveillance program, as well as some general biosecurity advice to […] Read more
A+W books sales growth despite Prairie ‘challenges’
Canadian burger and root beer chain A+W has chalked up another year of same-store sales growth despite “economic challenges” in the Alberta and Saskatchewan markets. Posting its year-end results on Tuesday, A+W’s Vancouver-based income fund reported same-store sales growth of 3.4 per cent in 2016 over 2015, down from a 7.6 per cent sales growth […] Read more
Klassen: Tenacious feeder market softens on supply forecasts
Western Canadian feeder cattle prices traded steady to as much as $5 lower over the past week. Early in the week, buyers incorporated a risk discount due to the extremely cold temperatures, especially in the Eastern prairie regions. By Thursday, markets were factoring in the larger beef supply forecasts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, […] Read more
Despite Trump talk of ‘tweaking’ NAFTA, Canada could still be hurt
Ottawa | Reuters — Although U.S. President Donald Trump says he only wants to tweak trade ties with Canada, his pledge to renegotiate NAFTA to focus on Mexico is almost impossible and Canada will not emerge unscathed, Canadian officials and trade experts said Tuesday. Trump had warm words for Canadian trade following a meeting with […] Read more
Trump expects only ‘tweaking’ of trade relationship with Canada
Washington | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday the country would be “tweaking” its trade relationship with Canada, stopping short of calling for a major realignment in a development likely to please visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trump has pledged to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) linking the […] Read more