Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle producers placed more animals than expected into feedlots last month, U.S. Department of Agriculture data showed on Friday, raising expectations for big supplies next summer. The increase in placements will likely pressure futures prices on Monday, brokers said. Meat producers and buyers are keeping a close watch on herd […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle placements top estimates

U.S. livestock: Hog futures rise on pork shipments to China
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures strengthened on Thursday as the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported shipments of U.S. pork to China last week reached their highest in at least 10 months. Traders and analysts are focusing on exports to China because it is the world’s top pork consumer and has lost about half […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle retreat from contract highs
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures ended mostly lower on Wednesday as the market retreated from contract highs reached this week. Feeder cattle and hog futures were also mostly weaker. Analysts predict meat packers such as Tyson Foods and JBS USA will buy fewer cattle over the next two weeks because Christmas and […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME cattle, hogs mixed on trade detail uncertainty
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures slipped on Tuesday, as uncertainty about details from the U.S.-China “Phase 1” trade agreement continued to make the market nervous, brokers said. Meanwhile, Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) live and feeder cattle futures continued to consolidate after Friday’s big price rally in the wake of the trade agreement news. […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME cattle, hogs relatively steady on trade deal hopes
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures remained relatively steady on Monday but funds continued to hold their long positions in anticipation of a surge of demand for U.S. meat after the U.S.-China “Phase 1” trade agreement is finalized, traders said. U.S. lean hog futures inched upward, rising for a third session on the same […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME hogs, cattle climb on China trade news
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures rose on Friday on hopes that a “phase one” trade agreement announced by Washington and Beijing would stimulate Chinese purchases of U.S. pork, but prices pared gains as traders struggled with uncertainty about the specifics. As part of the agreement, Beijing committed to buy an additional $32 […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hogs firm on fresh hopes for China trade pact
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures closed higher on Thursday on rekindled hopes for a U.S. trade deal with China, the world’s top pork consumer, traders said. Recent strength in cash hog markets added support, although prices in the closely watched Iowa and southern Minnesota market fell on Thursday afternoon after rising in […] Read more

Cattle producers get longer phase-in on new transport regs
New federal livestock transport regulations, due to come into force in February, will now roll out on a longer timeline for the beef and dairy cattle sectors. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau has announced a “two-year transition period” for bovines, which is meant to provide “time to gather more data on effective solutions concerning the […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures rise on technical buying
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures rose on Wednesday, rebounding from Tuesday’s downturn, while hog futures eased. Traders said that signs of strength in the cash market added support to the strength in both live and feeder cattle contracts. Technical buyers also helped pushed prices higher after early signs of strength. Chicago Mercantile Exchange […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Firmer cash prices support CME hog futures
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures rose on Tuesday with support from stronger cash prices, while live cattle futures eased in a setback from recent advances. Gains in hog futures and cash prices reflect solid domestic demand for pork and signal that pig supplies are expected to tighten heading into the new year, said […] Read more