Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures ended firm on Thursday as corn futures sank to a nine-month low. Falling corn prices raised prospects for reduced feeding costs, traders said. Hog futures weakened, pressured by a round of profit taking after hitting their highest since April 4. The gains in cattle were kept […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle futures firm as corn prices fall
Lean hog futures down on profit-taking
U.S. livestock: Cattle rise as corn prices drop
Chicago lean hogs also strong
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures rose Wednesday, supported by weakness in corn prices that boosted expectations for lower feeding costs, traders said. Hog futures rallied on strength in the cash markets. CME’s most-active June live cattle contract gained 0.55 cent, to 164.575 cents, rising above its 10-day moving average (all figures […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle, hogs mostly weaker
Feeder cattle futures mixed
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle and hog futures contracts were mostly weaker on Tuesday, with ample supplies weighing on prices. Traders also noted pressure from poor cash market values and concerns about demand due to worries about the global economy. “There probably is a little bit of a drag from outside […] Read more
Calving and pasture capacity videos
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Beef Cattle Research Council has a pair of new how-to videos. One focuses on the carrying capacity (grazing capacity) of a pasture. It gives an overview of the four keys to grazing management, features a Saskatchewan beef producer talking about his approach, and looks briefly at how to use the Carrying Capacity Calculator developed […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Feeder cattle fall after USDA report
June hogs rise above 10-day moving average
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts edged higher on Monday, while feeder cattle contracts fell, after U.S. government data released on Friday afternoon showed bigger-than-expected supplies in feedlots. The U.S. Agriculture Department’s monthly report showed that the number of U.S. cattle on feed, as of April 1, was down four per […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME cattle mixed, cash-futures spread remains wide
Hogs firm after touching new lows
Chicago | Reuters — The Chicago Mercantile Exchange’s spot live cattle futures eased on Friday, after prices in some cash cattle markets dipped lower than last week, traders said. Still, traders cautioned, the spread between cash and deferred futures prices remains wide — a spread that could tighten in the coming weeks as the U.S. […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Volatility roils CME cattle market
Chicago lean hog futures slump
Chicago | Reuters — The Chicago Mercantile Exchange’s cattle futures saw a second day of volatile trading on Thursday, with wide trading ranges and weaker technicals resulting in the spot live cattle contract turning lower, analysts said. One key reason, traders said, is that a white-hot cash market may have hit its limit. Cattle sold […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs touch new lows on fat supplies
Live cattle down on profit-taking, feeder cattle touch fresh highs
Chicago | Reuters — Choppy trade roiled the Chicago Mercantile Exchange’s livestock markets on Wednesday, while bountiful pork supplies and questions over consumer demand sent five of lean hog contracts slumping to new contract lows. The hog market turned sharply down, traders said, as the sector continues to wrestle with weak cash prices and larger-than-expected […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME feeder cattle hit new highs
Chicago lean hogs hit new low
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange’s April and May feeder cattle futures hit fresh contract highs on Tuesday on tight supplies, as analysts said they expected cattle placements to continue to trend down, traders said. Meanwhile, CME May lean hogs hit a contract low of 78.5 cents/lb., before closing down 2.175 cents at 78.825 […] Read more
Foot-and-mouth vaccine bank cheered by livestock groups
An outbreak would slam the border shut and vaccinations would be key in re-opening it
Reading Time: 2 minutes Livestock groups are hailing Ottawa’s pledge to set up a foot-and-mouth disease vaccine bank. “The Canadian beef industry breathed a collective sigh of relief to learn a foot-and-mouth disease vaccine bank is on the horizon,” Alberta Beef Producers said in a report on its website. Livestock organizations have been asking for a vaccine bank for […] Read more