
Beef Cattle

Klassen: Higher feed grain prices continue to pressure feeders
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to mid-December, western Canadian yearlings traded $3-$5 lower; mid-weight calves are down $4-$6 while calves under 550 lbs. remained firm. Buyers exhibited a defensive tone on heavier yearlings and discounts were more severe on fleshier cattle last week. There is absolutely no risk appetite for 850-plus-lb. cattle at this time of year. Demand for […] Read more

Cattle set-aside programs winding down
Final enrolment deadlines set for Saskatchewan, Alberta programs
Reading Time: < 1 minute AgriRecovery programs set up in Saskatchewan and Alberta to help cover feed costs for cattle producers unable to ship livestock to slaughter are gearing down, while Ontario’s program begins a third intake. Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp. announced Friday that the province’s AgriRecovery set-aside program will end March 31, 2021, with Jan. 19 now set as […] Read more

Klassen: Feeder cattle prices digesting uncertainty
Defensive tone likely through January
Reading Time: 2 minutes The feeder cattle market was very quiet during the last week of December with auction barns in holiday mode. There were discussions regarding direct sales but no actual business was confirmed. The stakes are too high given the market uncertainty; a defensive tone will likely continue throughout January. Feed grains continue to percolate higher; the […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures ease as corn prices soar, raising feed costs
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters – U.S. live cattle futures declined on Wednesday for a second session as surging corn prices signaled rising feed costs and pressured feeder cattle futures, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) February live cattle futures settled down 0.125 cent at 114.450 cents per pound, while CME March feeder cattle tumbled 1.475 cents […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures retreat as Wall Street dips, feed costs rise
Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters – U.S. cattle futures retreated on Tuesday after hitting a near three-month high in the previous session as rising feed costs and a downturn in equities markets triggered selling. Cattle futures have firmed in recent days as hopes for an economic stimulus deal in Washington overshadowed worries about restaurant closures and travel […] Read more

Klassen: Lighter calves end year on positive tone
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were $2 lower to $3 higher depending on the region. Many auction markets were in holiday mode last week and thinner volumes made the market harder to define. Generally speaking, the market was supported by stronger deferred live cattle futures and a slightly weaker Canadian dollar; […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures hit six-week high; hog futures ease after rally
Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters – U.S. cattle futures rose for the sixth time in seven sessions on Thursday, hitting a six-week high on signs of strength in the cash market, traders said. Hog futures eased after four straight days of gains pushed the front-month contract to its highest in nearly two months on Wednesday. Volumes were […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hog futures rise to highest since late October; cattle firms
Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters – U.S. hog futures rose to their highest in nearly two months on Wednesday, supported by a round of technical buying and tight pork supplies. After the market closed on Tuesday, the U.S. government released a report that showed that domestic frozen pork belly stocks as of Nov. 30 stood at 23.111 […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures drop on fund selling
Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters – U.S. cattle futures fell on Tuesday, with traders noting pressure from fund selling. Hog futures were slightly firmer as investors squared positions ahead of a key government supply report. Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) February live cattle futures dropped 1.2 cents to settle at 113.45 cents per pound. The contract found support […] Read more

Klassen: Fed cattle prices supporting calf market
Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta packers were buying fed cattle in the range of $139 to $140 last week, up $1 to $2 from seven days earlier. Strength in the nearby fed cattle market along with the recent rally in the live cattle futures has been supportive for calves under 600 pounds. Compared to last week, Western Canadian yearling […] Read more
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