Reading Time: 3 minutes They say the only constant is change, and one only has to think back on how we used to do things to see the great changes that have happened in the cattle industry. Advancements in technology, vaccines, reproductive technologies, nutrition, handling, production genetics and animal welfare are abundant. I think most of these changes have […] Read more
We should celebrate change and raise those low vaccination rates
Thoughts on how things are getting better, the joy of hydraulic chutes, and vaccination hesitancy
Beef checkoff refunds rise again
Reading Time: < 1 minute The amount of checkoff money refunded by Alberta Beef Producers jumped again last year but this time, the increase was from payments to cow-calf producers. The organization refunded $3.24 million in 2021, up from $3.04 million the year before, according to the financial statements in ABP’s just-released annual report. Although feedlots account for the vast […] Read more
Klassen: Alberta feedlot backlog limits demand for feeder cattle
Compared to last week, Western Canadian yearling prices traded steady to $2 lower on average while calf markets were down $3 to $5. Feedlots in Alberta and Saskatchewan are backed up with significant numbers of market ready fed cattle which has set a negative tone for replacement cattle. Carcass weights are nearing historical highs. Barley […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures rise on robust beef, pork demand
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog and cattle futures rose on Friday, with strong consumer demand for pork and beef pushing prices higher, traders said. Live cattle received a boost from concerns about tight supplies. “The big thing on the cattle is that the beef market seasonally found some really good strength,” said […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures extend gains
Chicago hog futures weak
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade live cattle contracts rose on Thursday, touching a fresh seven-year high, with tight supplies boosting cash market prices and lending support to futures. Hog futures eased after rising in five of the previous six sessions, but losses were kept in check by signs of good consumer demand. […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures rise on cash market strength
November feeder cattle also end higher
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade hog and cattle futures rose on Wednesday, following gains made in the cash market earlier this week, traders said. CME December lean hog futures gained 0.9 cent to settle at 87.375 cents/lb. (all figures US$). The contract faced technical resistance at the high end of its 20-day […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures hit over seven-year high
CME lean hogs also close higher
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts rose on Tuesday and the front-month contract hit its highest in more than seven years on strength in the cash market, traders said. Hog futures were also firm, with chart-based buying after contracts broke through key technical resistance points on Monday. CME December lean hog […] Read more
Calf prices are strong, but the road to recovery will be a long one for many
Demand up, supply down, but many producers still ‘digging their way out of last year’
Reading Time: 3 minutes Strong domestic and international demand coupled with dwindling supply is raising North American calf prices but cashed-strapped farmers are still struggling. At the end of September, calf prices were about $272 per hundredweight, up 21 per cent from a year ago, said Brenna Grant, executive director of Canfax. [RELATED] A NEW DAWN: Cattle producers get […] Read more
Long-haul transport rules not supported by science, says cattle sector
Three studies looked for benefits of rest stops on cattle but found none
Reading Time: 4 minutes It turns out that giving cattle a rest break during long haul transport seems to make no difference to their health or welfare. That was the bottom line from a third study that explored a controversial change made by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency three years ago. “That’s where we’re at,” said Reynold Bergen, science […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle, hog futures hit multi-week highs
November feeder cattle end lower
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog and live cattle futures rallied to multi-week highs on Monday. CME December lean hog futures rose 2.7 cents to settle at 84.95 cents/lb. (all figures US$). The contract peaked at 85.1 cents, its highest since Sept. 23, and rose above its 100-day and 200-day moving averages during […] Read more
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