Reading Time: 5 minutes Alberta feeder cattle imports have exploded, reaching highs not seen since the early 2000s. But feedlot operators are still struggling to turn a profit, and adding to their woes, the surge in American cattle may soon slow. “We were barely importing any feeders four or five years ago,” said Brian Perillat, manager of Canfax. “We […] Read more
A flood of American cattle is coming north — but the tide may turn
Alberta usually exports cattle but a quarter of a million U.S. cows a year are coming to Western Canada
U.S. livestock: Lean hogs up on firm demand, tight supplies
Daily cattle slaughter down on week
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures climbed on Friday as pork demand remained firm and supplies of market-ready hogs stayed low, analysts said. “At some point though, you would think the wholesale price would put a damper on demand, at some point in the summer,” said Doug Houghton technical analyst at […] Read more
StatsCan shows 2020 farm income up significantly
Farm cash receipts were up more than expenses
Canadian farm income, no matter how it’s measured, was up a lot in 2020, data released Wednesday by Statistics Canada show. Canadian net farm income of $18.1 billion is up $4.8 billion from 2019 — a 36.5 per cent increase. Another measure — realized net farm income (RNFI) — saw farmers take in $9.9 billion, […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle, lean hogs firm on meat demand
Corn prices drag on feeder cattle
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog and live cattle futures climbed on Thursday on firming cash beef and pork prices and strong weekly export sales data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Feeder cattle futures were lower, however, pressured by soaring corn feed prices. USDA data released early on Thursday showed […] Read more
Don’t be fooled into thinking a ‘closed herd’ is an excuse for inaction
Transmission can occur from wildlife, via spores or breeding bulls, so be proactive
Reading Time: 3 minutes In my travels, on calls or when talking to other veterinarian’s producers, I still hear some hide behind the proverbial ‘I don’t do that because I have a closed herd.’ It is an absolute misconception that because a herd is ‘closed,’ it is protected. That is a very broad statement and may apply to a […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Lean hogs ease on profit-taking
Cash prices, corn values drag on cattle futures
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures settled mostly lower on Wednesday, as investors took profits after some nearby contracts scaled the highest levels in years during the session on strong cash hog and pork prices. Cash hog prices remained firm while pork values hovered near the highest in almost seven years, […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Lean hogs up as pork prices rise, corn tumbles
Corn's decline also feeder cattle's gain
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures rebounded from the prior day’s losses on Tuesday on stronger cash pork prices and a weaker dollar, and as corn feed values fell sharply. Feeder cattle contracts also posted strong gains as benchmark corn futures on the Chicago Board of Trade plunged more than five […] Read more
New beef research chair hired
Reading Time: < 1 minute A beef expert from Brazil will be the first holder of the BCRC-Hays Chair in Beef Production Systems at the University of Alberta. Gleise M. Silva has a PhD in beef cattle nutrition from the University of Florida and in her new role “will collaborate with beef producers, translating research into practical solutions to create […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle futures sink as on-feed supply tops estimates
Profit-taking drags on hogs
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures retreated on Monday after U.S. government data showed supplies in feedlots above trade expectations and as some traders worried about demand for beef. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said late on Friday that May 1 on-feed cattle supplies stood at 105 per cent of […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hog futures rally to highest since August 2014
USDA's latest cattle count beats forecasts
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures rallied on Friday to their highest in nearly seven years, with strong demand outstripping supplies on hand as restaurants around the U.S. have been reopening after COVID-19 shutdowns, traders said. “We are seeing strong retail demand, with the food service trying to recapture their share of […] Read more