Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures rose on Friday, shrugging off earlier declines on technical buying and support from government data showing fewer cattle placed in feedlots during April, traders and analysts said. Relatively thinly traded feeder cattle futures jumped more than one per cent after the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its monthly […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Feeder cattle extend gains on drop in placements

U.S. cattle placements hit 16-year high for February
Chicago | Reuters — Ranchers drove 7.3 per cent more cattle into U.S. feedlots in February than a year ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported on Friday, the most for the month in 16 years. Persistent drought in the U.S. Plains withered winter wheat grazing pastures, which forced beef cattle into feedyards in states […] Read more

U.S. July feedlot cattle placements smaller than expected
Chicago | Reuters — Ranchers in July placed 2.7 per cent more cattle in U.S. feedlots than a year ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported on Friday, which fell short of average analysts’ forecasts. Dwindling profits for feedyards, after being paid less for their cattle by packers, discouraged them from buying calves for fattening […] Read more

Cargill to exit U.S. cattle feeding business
Chicago | Reuters — Cargill said on Wednesday it will exit the business of feeding cattle to direct capital toward other investments, the latest transformation for the global commodity trader. Minnesota-based Cargill struck a deal to sell its last two feed yards to ethanol producer Green Plains for US$36.7 million, after selling other feedyards to […] Read more