Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures rallied on Friday, with most contracts setting new highs as strong prices for pork and concerns about supplies underpinned the market. Most-active June lean hog futures jumped 3.775 cents to finish at 125.85 cents/lb., closing above the high end of its 20-day Bollinger range after facing […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hogs set new contract highs with supplies in focus
USDA shows more cattle on feed
U.S. livestock: Hog futures ease after hitting contract highs
Chicago cattle futures firm
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures were mostly lower on Thursday as traders locked in profits after many contracts rallied to fresh highs on Wednesday. Weak exports of pork added pressure to the hog market. Most-active June lean hog futures eased 0.9 cent to finish at 122.075 cents/lb. (all figures US$). The […] Read more
You don’t want to hear this — but delay grazing, say experts
Even good moisture this spring won’t easily overcome the effects of drought
Reading Time: 4 minutes If you’re a cattle producer, you may be counting down the days until you can turn your cows out on grass. But three experts are telling you the best thing you can do is wait. “Watch what the plants tell you,” said Grant Lastiwka, a forage specialist with Union Forages. “A perennial pasture has a […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME hogs rally on pork price, cash market strength
Cattle futures also up on day
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures rallied on Wednesday, with the most-active June contract jumping 2.4 per cent and hitting an all-time high, supported by rising pork prices and strength in the cash market. CME April lean hog futures rose 2.3 cents to end at 102.55 cents/lb. (all figures US$). Most-active June […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME hog futures mixed
CBOT cattle futures weak
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures were mixed on Tuesday, with deferred contracts firming on expectations that supplies will remain tight until the summer, traders said. The front-month hog contract eased on follow-through selling after hitting technical resistance and closing well below its peak on Monday. Cattle futures also were weaker, pressured […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME cattle fall, hogs firm
Supply level cause for 'a little bit of concern'
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures fell on Monday as traders took positions ahead of a U.S. government report later this week that was expected to show burgeoning supplies. “There is a little bit of concern about excess supplies and large finishing weights,” said Rich Nelson, chief strategist with Allendale Inc. Hog […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME cattle rise on weaker feed values
Lean hog futures slip
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures firmed on Friday as nearby grain futures slumped, even as the cash trade continued to be disappointing and investors kept a close eye on diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, traders said. CME cattle futures were also supported as retail demand for beef perked […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME hogs, feeder cattle slide
Technical trading, higher grain values drag on futures
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hogs and feeder cattle futures fell on Thursday on a flurry of technical trading, as feed prices rebounded and investors scrambled to find stable footing amid continued volatility in commodity markets. Live cattle inched up, while cash cattle saw limited action in the southern Plains, with some […] Read more
To build or not to build that new barn? That is a devilish question
Spending big on new facilities isn’t easy and neither is figuring out what will work best in future
Reading Time: 4 minutes Your head has told you for years that your facilities are long overdue for an upgrade. But other areas of the farm always took priority. Finally, after a few years of less than stellar calving conditions in April and not being able to move the squeeze function on your chute because it was constantly frozen, […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME feeder cattle rise as feed prices slip
June live cattle, April hogs lower
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle fell on Wednesday on technical liquidation, as livestock markets continue to wrestle with questions about consumer demand as food prices surge, traders said. Feeder cattle futures firmed on the day as feed prices fell, traders said. “Today’s live cattle futures trade has been choppy to weaker, […] Read more