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U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures ease ahead of U.S. holiday weekend

Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures eased on Wednesday, as packers prep for a short processing week after the Fourth of July holiday in the United States, traders said. Packers’ purchases are expected to slow by the end of the week, to avoid having pens full of animals waiting over the […] Read more

“There is still a pile of corn going into southern Alberta,” says one trader at Eagle Commodities Ltd.  Photo: MaksymTopchyi/iStock/Getty Images

Feed weekly outlook: Decline in feed grain prices anticipated

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm – Much-needed rains falling onto most parts of Alberta have created ideal growing conditions for feed grains in the province, which has already created a slight decline in prices. “Southern Alberta has been very, very dry, but we’ve had anywhere from four to six inches of rain over the last three weeks,” said Mike […] Read more


In central Alberta, calf numbers were limited with only small groups or single stragglers available.  Photo: File

Klassen: Feeder cattle trend higher, favourable beef outlook

Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, Western Canadian yearlings traded $8 to as much as $12 higher; mid-weight feeders in the range of 700-800 pounds were also $8-10 higher. Calves under 700 pounds were unchanged to $6 higher.  The feeder market took a fortuitous bounce last week. Major feedlots were extremely aggressive on yearlings while supplies were […] Read more

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U.S. livestock: Hog futures rise as traders cover short positions

Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters – CME Group hog futures firmed on Friday as traders covered short positions after prices fell 5.6 percent over the last two sessions, though demand concerns capped gains. A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report showed that pork export sales in the week ended June 16 totalled 27,600 tonnes, unchanged from a week earlier. […] Read more


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U.S. livestock: Hog, live cattle futures fall on recession fears

Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters – CME Group live cattle and hog futures fell on Thursday, pressured by growing fears of a recession that could cut demand for pricey meats, traders said. Losses accelerated due to fund liquidation as the end of the quarter nears. But feeder cattle futures were firm as falling corn prices raised the […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hog futures retreat from two-month high; cattle also fall

Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters – CME Group cattle futures fell on Wednesday, as surprise deliveries in Texas showed that cash market supplies were higher than expected, traders said. Hog futures were lower, snapping a streak of four straight higher closes as traders locked in profits from the market’s move to a two-month high. CME July lean […] 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

Reading Time: < 1 minute 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

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Barley price forecasts enhance feeder cattle demand

Recent rains nearly guarantee at least average yields

Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were relatively unchanged. Heifer and steer calves were quoted steady to $3 lower on average but the market was harder to define due to limited numbers. Small packages of calves of various quality resulted in the wide-ranging price structure. Buying interest for grassers appears to have subsided. […] 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

Reading Time: 2 minutes 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

Reading Time: 2 minutes 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