Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures tanked on Tuesday on fund selling and as markets remained under pressure from bigger-than-expected U.S. feedlot placements, brokers said.
U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures slide to two-month lows
Data signals producers still sending cattle to slaughter instead of rebuilding the U.S. herd
Klassen: Feeder market rally stalls
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were quoted $3-$4/cwt on either side of unchanged.
Local food system would reap big economic benefits researcher says
B.C. researchers found that the Okanagan could produce two thirds of its own food while maintaining exports
Reading Time: 2 minutes Assuming an average Canadian diet, the Okanagan can currently produce 88 per cent of its dairy needs, Mullinix and colleagues wrote in a report on the study. It can produce 60 per cent of its poultry needs, 34 per cent of its fruit needs (due to fruits eaten that can’t be grown in the region, or are eaten out of season), and small amounts of other food groups like grains, red meat, eggs and oils.
Disease affecting U.S. dairy cows re-identified as bird flu
U.S. officials say threat to the public is low; cows don't appear to spread infection within herd
Reading Time: 2 minutes A wild waterfowl-borne disease creating milk production problems in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico dairy herds has been identified as a strain of bird flu, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says.
Producers welcome change to cash advance program
After much lobbying, federal government increases interest-free portion of program to $250,000
Reading Time: 2 minutes The interest-free portion of the federal Advance Payments Program will be $250,000 this year, much to farmers’ relief. The amount had been set to drop back to $100,000 at the end of this month after sitting at $350,000 for 2023.
Dairy farmers urged to be on lookout for U.S. disease
Older, lactating cattle more likely to be severely impacted, effected farmers say
Reading Time: 2 minutes U.S. dairy producers are reporting high onset of and high morbidity from Texas Agalactiae Syndrome, with confirmed cases in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico. Lactating cows are considered particularly vulnerable.
Kansas beef plant shuts down after fire
Reading Time: < 1 minute National Beef Packing Company, one of four major U.S. beef processors, said it suspended production at its Liberal, Kansas, plant for a second day on Friday, after a fire.
Veterinary association calls on federal government to address workforce shortage
National testing centre is needed to onboard internationally-trained vets, CVMA says
Reading Time: < 1 minute An organization representing Canadian veterinarians is calling for the federal government to intervene as it faces what it calls a severe workforce shortage.
Klassen: Feeder market adjusts to lower supplies
Reading Time: 2 minutes Western Canadian prices for backgrounded replacements were $2 to $4 higher than last week. Lower flesh yearlings were valued $3 to $8 above week-ago levels. Prices for calves under 800 pounds were up $3 to $7 compared to seven days earlier with noted strength in feeders under 600 pounds.
Farmers, oil drillers in parched Alberta brace for water shortage
Drought could cause double-digit declines in Alberta's wheat yields, data suggests
Reading Time: 3 minutes Drought in Alberta is stretching into its fourth year and farmers and oil companies are planning for water restrictions that threaten production of wheat, beef and crude.
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
