(Dave Bedard photo)

Strong beef demand lifts Cargill profit for quarter

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Global commodities trader Cargill reported a 14 per cent rise in quarterly profit on Wednesday as strong beef demand and ample supplies of cattle lifted earnings for its animal nutrition and protein segment for a fifth straight quarter. The gains in protein offset a weaker year-on-year result for Cargill’s origination and […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Cattle limit down after bearish USDA report

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures tumbled about two per cent on Monday after government data on Friday showed bigger-than-expected placements of cattle on feed in August. Most-active CME December live cattle dropped by the daily price limit of three cents to finish at 114.425 cents per pound, reversing from Friday’s 1-1/2 […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder market maintains upward momentum

Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $3 to as much as $8 higher. Strong gains in the live and feeder cattle futures, along with the softer Canadian dollar, set a positive tone for all weight categories. Central and southern Alberta feedlot operators were quite aggressive on local cattle, which caused major […] Read more

Expansion-minded Jollibee opened its first-ever Canadian outlet in Winnipeg at the end of 2016. (Dave Bedard photo)

Philippines’ Jollibee eyes deals to grow

Reading Time: 3 minutes Manila/Singapore | Reuters — Filipino billionaire Tony Tan Caktiong, who has built Jollibee Foods Corp. into a near-4,000 store purveyor of sweet-style spaghetti, burgers and fried chicken, is looking to buy existing brands in mature markets to help fuel future growth. Dominant at home, where Jollibee has 1,000 eponymous stores welcoming diners with its smiling […] Read more


(USDA.gov via Flickr)

U.S. cattle placements spike in August

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Ranchers placed 1.93 million cattle in U.S. feedlots in August, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Friday, in a stronger-than-expected report likely to weigh on futures early next week. Cattle placements rose about three per cent from August in 2016, USDA said. Analysts polled by Reuters had predicted a decline […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder market experiences renewed optimism

Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, yearlings traded $3-$5 higher while calf prices were $5 to as much as $10 higher in some cases. Southern Alberta yearling prices were unchanged this week after trading at premium to western Canadian markets earlier in September. The U.S. Department of Agriculture came out on Tuesday and lowered its beef production […] Read more



(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Lethbridge demand drives up yearling market

Reading Time: 2 minutes Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $5-$8 above week-ago levels. The first major yearling sales occurred in southern Alberta, which appeared to kick-start the buying momentum. Alberta fed cattle prices and wholesale beef values were under pressure; however, feedlot operators were extremely tenacious. Buyers capriciously worked orders throughout the week and by the Friday, quality […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder market softens on trade comments

Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices steady to $5 lower while calves traded steady to as much as $10 lower. Alberta feedlots were shopping across the Prairies; light demand surfaced from eastern Canadian buyers while subdued buying interest was noted from the U.S. Limited numbers were on offer in the eastern Prairie regions […] Read more

(USDA.gov via Flickr)

U.S. July feedlot cattle placements smaller than expected

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Ranchers in July placed 2.7 per cent more cattle in U.S. feedlots than a year ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported on Friday, which fell short of average analysts’ forecasts. Dwindling profits for feedyards, after being paid less for their cattle by packers, discouraged them from buying calves for fattening […] Read more