CME April 2020 feeder cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle extend losses

COVID-19 coronavirus continues to rattle investors

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live and feeder cattle futures fell sharply for a second consecutive day on Tuesday as fears of a coronavirus pandemic stoked concerns about demand and slower global economic growth. Commodities funds liquidated more of their sizable long holdings in cattle after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Cattle inventories continue to decline, StatsCan says

Canada's hog herd also down on year

MarketsFarm — Canada’s cattle herd in 2019 continued on its generally consistent path of declining numbers, according to new data Statistics Canada released Tuesday. Aside from a few slight increases in 2012, 2013 and 2018, Canadian cattle inventories have moved lower since 2005. At 11.2 million head, the reported number of cattle on farms in […] Read more


CME April 2020 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hogs dive as coronavirus rattles markets

April live cattle, most feeder contracts close limit-down

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle and hog futures plunged on Monday as a surge of coronavirus cases beyond China stoked fears of U.S. meat export delays and slower global economic growth. The actively-traded April live cattle contract and nearly all feeder cattle contracts closed down by their daily trading limits, triggering expanded […] Read more

CME March 2020 feeder cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME hog futures firm

Cattle contracts ease

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures ended higher on Friday on a mild technical bounce while cattle contracts weakened. Feeder cattle contracts were under pressure from profit-taking following six straight days of gains that pushed the front-month contract to its highest since Jan. 30. CME lean hog futures for April delivery ended […] Read more





CME April 2020 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hogs rally with hopes for exports to China

Cattle market similarly hopeful

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures rose 2.1 per cent on Tuesday on hopes for increased demand from China as the world’s top pork consumer announced plans to begin issuing tariff-free import licenses. China will grant exemptions on retaliatory duties imposed against 696 U.S. goods, the most substantial tariff relief to be offered so […] Read more

Manitoba Pork Council chair George Matheson and federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announce funding for a two-year pilot insurance program for Manitoba hog producers. (Dave Bedard photo)

Manitoba to pilot insurance program against hog disease risks

Pork council study backed with federal, provincial funds

“Private sector solutions” to manage financial risks caused by disease outbreaks on hog farms are on the drawing board in a new Manitoba-led pilot project that could go nationwide. Coming out of a Thursday morning meeting with hog producers in Winnipeg, federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced $482,158 from the AgriRisk Initiatives (ARI) arm of […] Read more


CME April 2020 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle bounce after this week’s four-month lows

Plentiful hog supplies drag on futures

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed higher on Friday on bargain buying after the benchmark April contract fell to a 4-1/2-month low this week, with traders citing expectations for a seasonal pickup in beef demand, traders said. Benchmark April live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange settled up 1.8 cents at […] Read more

CME April 2020 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Lean hogs edge up on hopes for Chinese demand

April live cattle up on short-covering

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures rose modestly on Thursday on technical buying and hopes China will step up purchases of U.S. agricultural goods including pork as the U.S.-China Phase One trade deal takes effect, brokers said. Benchmark April lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange settled up 0.3 cent at 64.075 […] Read more