Reading Time: 2 minutes During the first full week of January, western Canadian feeder cattle traded $10-$15 higher compared to late December. In some cases, calves under 600 lbs. were $15-$20 higher. Strength in the nearby fed cattle market, along with the firmer tone to live cattle futures, set a positive tone. Alberta packers were buying fed cattle in […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle jump on renewed buying interest
Packers approved to move beef, pork to Ukraine
Reading Time: 2 minutes Inspectors have approved 15 Canadian beef and pork processing plants to export to Ukraine, more than doubling the number of Canadian meat plants able to ship to the country. Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland on Monday announced Ukraine has, essentially, approved beef and pork exports from any Canadian federally-registered establishment […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Feeder cattle rise on cash gains, wintry weather
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. feeder cattle futures rose on Monday, reversing earlier declines and extending steep gains of recent days as wintry weather hampered animal weight gains and feed prices tumbled, traders and analysts said. Live cattle futures steadied after falling sharply early in the session at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, as big declines […] Read more
Klassen: Fed cattle bounce stabilizes feeders
Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta fed cattle prices jumped to three-month highs, reaching $174 over the past week, setting a positive tone for feeders to start off the New Year. Retailers appear to be featuring beef at discounted prices, alleviating the bloated beef pipeline. Wholesale prices also ratcheted higher, reflecting the improving demand. While pen closeouts remain in negative […] Read more
Somali workers fired at U.S. beef plant in prayer dispute
Reading Time: 2 minutes Denver | Reuters — Nearly 200 workers, mostly Somali immigrants, have been fired from a meat-packing plant in Colorado after staging a walkout to protest what they said were insufficient prayer accommodations, the company and Islamic advocacy groups said Thursday. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said the workers were treated in a “discriminatory manner” […] Read more
Korea’s temporary ban on Canadian beef lifted
Reading Time: 2 minutes South Korea’s temporary ban on imports of Canadian beef and veal, imposed after Canada’s discovery of a 19th case of BSE in February, has been lifted as of Wednesday. Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland announced the Korean government’s decision Thursday. South Korea had re-imposed its ban on Canadian beef after the […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Cash price spike drives CME live cattle higher
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures finished well into positive territory on Wednesday, led by the steep climb in prices for cash cattle, traders said. Spot December, which will expire on Thursday, closed 2.8 cents/lb. higher at 133 cents, and February ended 1.2 cents higher at 136.7 (all figures US$). “Today […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Profit-taking ends CME live cattle’s win streak
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed lower on Monday, hit by profit-taking after gaining five days in a row driven by potential supply shortages as inclement weather moves across the U.S. Plains, traders said. Wintry weather typically slows down cattle weight gains while creating problems for employees and livestock to […] Read more
Wintry blast cuts both ways in U.S. cattle country
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — A major winter storm rolling across the U.S. Plains on Monday disrupted transportation of cattle to beef packing plants in sections of the region, said experts. However, they said, the rough weather supported cattle and wholesale beef prices struggling against abundant overall meat supplies and heavyweight animals. The storm, dubbed Goliath, […] Read more
Klassen: Bounce in fed cattle supports feeders
Reading Time: 2 minutes Feeder cattle prices ended the year on a soft tone, trading steady with week-ago levels. Most auction barns were in holiday mode, resulting in minimal sales across the Prairies. Christmas couldn’t come soon enough for feedlot operators and the bounce in the live cattle futures early in the week was a refreshing gift. This past […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
