CME August 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle, hogs advance in turnaround from losses

Live hog futures in China drop sharply

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle and hog futures closed stronger on Wednesday as the livestock markets recovered from losses in the previous session that were linked to fears of a global economic recession, traders said. Wall Street also finished higher, after broad declines in equities and commodities on Tuesday spilled over into […] Read more

CME August 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle fall on global recession worries

Lean hogs buck downward trend

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures fell on Tuesday, following broad declines in commodities and Wall Street equities tied to fears of a global economic recession, traders said. “It’s the economy. You’ve got the fears of going into a recession,” said Don Roose, president of Iowa-based U.S. Commodities. “So goes the […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder cattle trade at 52-week highs

New-crop feed grain values under pressure

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearlings traded steady to $2 higher with exceptional demand noted on steers over 700 pounds. Calf values were mixed in Alberta with markets trading $2-$4 on either side of unchanged; however, prices were steady to $4 higher in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Small groups of various quality characterized the feeder […] Read more

The impact of last year’s drought on herd health will persist into this year and producers should keep an eye out for problems, say experts.

Keep an eye out for drought-caused nutrient deficiency in your cattle

Nutrient deficiencies have ripple effects, including slower gain and lower pregnancy rates

Reading Time: 4 minutes Feeding cattle through last year’s drought was tough enough — but for some producers, its impact on the health of their cattle isn’t over. “The biggest challenge for producers through the drought was finding good-quality feed for a feasible price. A lot of low-quality fibre like straw was fed,” said Courtney O’Keefe, ruminant nutritionist at […] Read more



Putting a health warning on the front of packages of ground beef and pork makes no sense and will harm both consumers and producers, says Melanie Wowk, chair of Alberta Beef Producers.

Meat warning label proposal slammed by Alberta beef producers

Ground meat is a nutritious food and saying it is high in saturated fat is misleading and harmful, groups say

Reading Time: 3 minutes Alberta cattle producers say they are feeling betrayed by the federal government after Health Canada recently announced a plan to add saturated fat warning labels to ground meat.  “Labelling ground beef — an affordable, nutritious and versatile protein, and a staple food for most Canadians — is misleading and does not make sense to us,” Alberta […] Read more


CME July 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20- and 50-day moving averages (pink and brown lines) and CME cash lean hog index (purple line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hog futures rise to two-month high

CME cattle futures mixed

Chicago | Reuters — CME hog futures rose to their highest in two months on Tuesday as slowdowns on processing lines raised concerns about tightening supplies. Cattle futures were mixed, with feeder cattle contracts firming as falling corn prices improved prospects of cheaper feed and strong profit margins for packers. Live cattle contracts ended slightly […] Read more

When a grizzly kills a cow it will try to bury the carcass, but that often attracts other bears to the farm.

Total ban on killing grizzly bears isn’t working, say cattle producers

ABP wants government to issue permits to kill bears that repeatedly kill cattle and damage property

Reading Time: 5 minutes The province’s main cattle group says producers should be able to get a permit to kill grizzly bears that repeatedly kill livestock and damage property. “Alberta Beef Producers has resolved to lobby the government to provide livestock owners and landowners with permits, allowing them to kill a dangerous grizzly without being charged,” said Brad Dubeau, […] Read more


CME August 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (pink line) and October 2022 live cattle (dark red line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle up on rising cash prices

Lean hogs up in pre-long weekend trade

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed stronger on Friday on rising cash prices, while lean hog futures hit two-week highs, analysts said. Feeder cattle futures also ended firmer. The markets advanced as U.S. stocks bounced back from a sharp selloff in the prior session. Losses in equities and concerns about […] Read more

CME August 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (pink line) and June 2022 live cattle (black line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle mixed on uncertain consumer demand

Export strength supports lean hogs

Indianapolis | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures were mixed on Thursday, with nearby contracts firming, while the most-active cattle futures eased pressured by inflationary concerns, though markets remain underpinned by tight cattle supplies across much of the U.S. Plains, analysts said. “The weakness comes from the uncertainty of the economy – how […] Read more