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Klassen: Challenging weather influencing feeder market

Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were relatively unchanged; calves appeared to trade $3 lower to as much as $5 higher. Weather conditions have played a larger role in the price structure this fall. Major finishing feedlots continue to focus on preconditioned calves and have left the unweaned or unvaccinated feeders to the […] Read more

Smoke billows during a fire in an area of the Amazon rainforest near Humaita, Amazonas State, Brazil on Aug. 14, 2019. (Photo: Reuters/Ueslei Marcelino)

Brazil Amazon deforestation soars to 11-year high

Reading Time: 3 minutes Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil | Reuters — Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest rose to its highest in over a decade this year, government data on Monday showed, confirming a sharp increase under the leadership of right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro. The data from Brazil’s INPE space research agency, which showed deforestation soaring 29.5 per cent […] Read more


A deep storm surge that flowed during Hurricane Dorian from the Pamlico Sound back to the Atlantic Ocean swept this cow off her home range on North Carolina’s Cedar Island over to the barrier island in Cape Lookout National Seashore, where she was found in early September. (U.S. National Park Service photo by Jeff West)

Dorian swept swimming cows two miles to North Carolina beach

Reading Time: 2 minutes Cape Lookout National Seashore, N.C. | Reuters — Three cows have been spotted beachcombing on a remote barrier island on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, swept to an unlikely grazing spot when Hurricane Dorian whipped waves powerful enough to carry them two miles from their home. One of the bovine bodysurfers was seen soon after the […] Read more

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U.S. livestock: Lean hogs rally on technical buying, rising pork prices

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters – U.S. lean hog futures rose by as much as 3 percent on Tuesday on technical buying and short-covering, and as hopes for expanded pork exports to China more than offset pressure stemming from ample U.S. hog supplies, traders said. Rising pork prices and strong meatpacker margins gave the market further support […] Read more


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Klassen: Feeder cattle market consolidation continues

Reading Time: 2 minutes Western Canadian feeder cattle markets were unchanged from week-ago levels. Larger pre-sort calf sales were held across the prairies. Buying interest was barely sufficient to support the market at the current levels.  The risk tolerance shifted from medium to low this past week. Discounts appeared to be more severe on unweaned and unvaccinated calves. Colder […] Read more

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U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures firm on strong cash market, rising beef prices

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters – U.S. live cattle futures firmed on Friday, supported by strong cash feedlot cattle and beef prices and robust packer profit margins. The market posted a modest decline for the week after eight straight weeks of gains, but prices remain near six-month peaks reached after the two-month rally took futures up by […] Read more


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U.S. livestock: Hog futures rise on hopes for Chinese pork import tariff rollback

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters – U.S. lean hog futures closed mostly higher on Thursday on renewed hopes for accelerated U.S. pork sales to China after officials from both countries said an interim trade deal could include a phased rollback of tariffs. The hog market has been highly sensitive to any signs of easing trade tensions between […] Read more

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U.S. livestock: Lean hog futures retreat as interim China trade deal delayed

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters – U.S. lean hog futures retreated on Wednesday, surrendering nearly all of the prior session’s strong gains on worries about U.S. pork exports to China after a senior White House official said a “phase one” trade deal with the world’s top pork consumer could be delayed. The delay followed news that Canada […] Read more