Reading Time: 2 minutes Comments from the country this week suggested the market was slightly firmer than week-ago levels. However, market reports stated prices were relatively unchanged and actually softened late in the week. The old saying that even a priest lies about his car’s gas mileage applies to overly optimistic cattlemen trying to bolster market enthusiasm. Feedlot margins […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market stable but demand remains soft
Beef industry challenged to do better
Reading Time: 4 minutes It’s no secret the beef industry is under attack from environmentalists and activists — or that they frequently distort the truth. “They have an agenda that they are trying to gain information to support — they’re looking for things that have gone awry in the industry, and there have been problems,” renowned Alberta cattle researcher […] Read more
Washington begins killing wolf pack for preying on livestock
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Wildlife agents authorized to eradicate a group of 11 wolves for repeated attacks on cattle in Washington state have hunted down and killed six animals from the condemned pack and are searching for the rest, a state game official said on Monday. State biologists fatally shot two members of the so-called Profanity Peak […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market establishes defensive tone
Reading Time: 2 minutes Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were relatively unchanged from week-ago levels although a softer tone was noted late in the week. After two weeks of slightly higher values, buyers took on the attitude of cutting one’s coat according one’s cloth. Each cattle feeder appears to have his or her own view of the market and […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market brewing but caution prevails
Reading Time: 2 minutes Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were steady to $4 higher relative to week-ago levels. Yearling volumes are starting to increase in central and northern Alberta while the southern and eastern regions experienced limited activity. Buyers’ opaque attitudes resulted in a firmer tone and no one could feel guilty for a minor intemperance. However, the circumspect […] Read more
JBS quarterly profits beat expectations
Reading Time: < 1 minute Sao Paulo | Reuters — Brazil’s JBS SA, the world’s largest meat processor, posted better than expected second-quarter profits on Wednesday, helped by a sharp increase in revenues from its pork business in the U.S., said the company. São Paulo-based JBS earned 1.657 billion reais (C$650 million) in net income last quarter, compared with 252 […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market comes back to life
Reading Time: 2 minutes Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were $4-$6 higher on average — in some cases as much as $10 higher in the major feeding regions of Alberta. A couple of auction barns held their first yearling sale of the year and optimism returned with a vengeance. A minor bounce in feeder and live cattle futures along […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market seeking stability
Reading Time: 2 minutes Western Canadian feeder cattle prices continued on a downward trajectory trading $3-$5 below week-ago levels. Erratic buying interest resulted in inconsistent price action across the Prairies which made the market difficult to define. Smaller groups of various quality cattle were on offer, justifying the softer tone, but feedlot operators demonstrated unwavering fortitude even on genetically […] Read more
U.S. opens up to Brazil fresh beef imports
Reading Time: 1 minute Brasilia | Reuters –– The U.S. and Brazilian governments exchanged food safety equivalence documents on Monday that will open up their respective markets to fresh beef exports, a window expected to boost Brazil’s exports to the U.S. by US$900 million. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said its Food Safety and Inspection Service had determined that […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME hogs settle mostly weak on month-end positioning
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago / Reuters – Most Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog contracts closed weaker on Friday, after a volatile session highlighted by investors squaring positions on the final trading day of the month, trader said. August hogs finished up 0.125 cent per lb to 68.975 cents. October ended 0.150 cent per lb lower at 59.050 cents and December down 0.075 cent to […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
