CME February 2021 lean hogs with 20-, 30-, 40- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hog futures rally on technical buying

CME cattle futures lower

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures rose slightly on Tuesday on follow-through buying from a rally on Monday, traders said. Cattle futures eased, pressured by recent weakness in the cash markets as well as some technical sales. Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) February lean hogs rose 0.775 cent to settle at 66.45 cents/lb. (all […] Read more

On most days on most ranches in the province, things likely seemed pretty normal. But for the organization representing cattle producers, it has been a year of constant challenge and change.

Slimmed-down cattle organization looks forward to better days

During a dark year, there have been some silver linings, say officials with Alberta Beef Producers

Reading Time: 4 minutes Alberta Beef Producers is heading into the new year by celebrating some wins, and by proceeding with the slimming down of the organization’s governance model. The province has approved the governance changes, chair Kelly Smith-Fraser said at the organization’s virtual town hall, held at the end of November. “The geographical zones have been reduced from […] Read more


CME February 2021 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle rise on technical and bargain buying

CME lean hog futures sink

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures advanced for a third straight session on Friday supported by technical and bargain buying and as strong packer margins were seen potentially keeping a floor under cash cattle prices. Futures rose despite some demand concerns as soaring U.S. coronavirus rates triggered lockdowns that impact restaurant traffic, and […] Read more

CME February 2021 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle advance in bargain-buying bounce

CME lean hogs drop

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures firmed for a second straight day on Thursday on bargain buying and speculative buying after prices hit 2-1/2 week lows earlier this week. Futures firmed despite lower cash cattle prices and tumbling beef prices as packer demand held stable and processing margins remained profitable. “With the early […] Read more


CME February 2021 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Short covering, bargain buying lift cattle, hog futures

Meat prices, cash values temper gains

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures firmed on Wednesday in a short-covering and bargain-buying bounce following four straight losing sessions that had dragged prices to 2-1/2-week lows. Lean hog futures also firmed on short covering and bargain buying, though livestock traders remained generally cautious as they monitor broadening coronavirus restrictions and pandemic relief […] Read more

Along with high densities and long rest periods, Ryan Boyd seeds a wide array of plants “to wake the soil up and let nature do its thing.”

Let’s get intense — cattle producer amps the density in his system

Ryan Boyd will put 400 yearlings on a quarter-acre as part of a system to boost forage productivity

Reading Time: 3 minutes Ryan Boyd has travelled the world to see how producers graze their cattle, and has figured out how to make his cattle work for him. Strip grazing, high stocking densities and a diverse range of plant species are at the core of the system developed by the Manitoba farmer, who as a 2019 Nuffield Scholar […] Read more


CME February 2021 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures follow cash prices, beef values lower

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures fell for a fourth straight session on Tuesday as cash cattle traded lower at southern U.S. Plains feedlot markets and as wholesale beef prices continued a steep seasonal slide. Declines, however, were limited by bargain buying as some traders viewed the recent drop in cattle prices as […] Read more



CME February 2021 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures step back on demand uncertainty

Lean hogs down with pork production up

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures fell on Friday as a third day of softer wholesale beef prices brought retailer demand into question, traders said. “Wholesale beef prices appear to have topped again and could head lower into the holidays, other than some late buying by retailers last minute,” said Doug Houghton, technical analyst […] Read more

CME February 2021 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20- and 50-day moving averages and January 2021 feeder cattle (black line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures step back on demand uncertainty

February lean hog futures lower

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures trimmed on Thursday as fears of additional pandemic closures weighed on the demand outlook, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange February live cattle futures fell 1.35 cents to 112.575 cents/lb., the contract’s biggest decline in two weeks (all figures US$). CME January feeder cattle ended two cents lower at […] Read more