CME February 2021 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures tumble on demand worries

Corn values also weigh on feeder cattle, hogs

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle and hog futures tumbled on Thursday on worries about demand for beef and pork as soaring coronavirus infections across the country threatened more restaurant and food service closures and forced more Americans to shelter at home. Investors also fear a repeat of the livestock processing disruptions seen in the […] Read more

CME December 2020 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures retreat as COVID surge stokes demand worries

CME lean hog futures end mixed

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures fell on Wednesday as rising coronavirus infection rates stoked concerns about potential supply-chain disruptions and reduced demand for beef as health restrictions shutter restaurants and discourage travel. U.S. stocks dove on Wednesday as investors weighed surging COVID-19 infections and mounting shutdowns against encouraging vaccine developments. An April plunge […] Read more


An image created by Nexu Science Communication, together with Trinity College in Dublin, shows a model structurally representative of a betacoronavirus, the type of virus linked to COVID-19. (Nexu Science Communication via Reuters)

Irritated trade partners push back on China’s coronavirus food tests

Canada rips testing as 'unjustified trade restrictions'

Reading Time: 3 minutes Beijing/Geneva | Reuters — Major food-producing countries are growing increasingly frustrated with China’s scrutiny of imported products and are calling on it to stop aggressive testing for the coronavirus, which some say is tantamount to a trade restriction. China says it has found the virus on the packaging of products from 20 countries including German […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Calf prices ratcheting higher

Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $2-$4 on either side of unchanged; mid-weight calves were also unchanged while lighter calves traded steady to as much as $6 higher. Alberta and Saskatchewan have experienced adverse weather over the past couple of weeks; however, feedlots in southern Alberta appeared to be more aggressive for […] Read more


CME February 2021 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures climb with cash market, beef prices

Lean hog futures up on short-covering

Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures rose for a second straight session on Tuesday, lifted by higher cash beef prices and signs that cash cattle at feedlot auctions would trade at steady to higher prices this week. Consumer demand for beef has remained solid despite rising coronavirus infection rates that have triggered lockdowns […] Read more

CME December 2020 live cattle with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures up as Wall Street rallies

COVID-19 worries remain in picture

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures ended mostly higher on Monday on spillover support from soaring equities markets, although gains were limited by worries about rising coronavirus infections and likely restaurant closures. News of a second promising COVID-19 vaccine lifted both the S+P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average to record highs on […] Read more


CME December 2020 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures sag as COVID surge threatens meat demand

Demand uncertainty also weighs on hogs

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. livestock futures slumped on Friday as soaring coronavirus cases raised expectations for lockdowns on commerce that will hurt demand for meat from restaurants, hotels and other venues, analysts said. Cities and states across the country have moved to re-impose restrictions to tame new spikes in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations. Additional […] Read more

(JBSs.infoinvest.com.br)

JBS gears up for U.S. and Brazil expansions

Brazilian meat giant reiterates plans following strong Q3 results

Reading Time: < 1 minute Sao Paulo | Reuters — Food processor JBS SA reiterated plans to grow production capacity in Brazil and in the United States after posting strong third quarter results, executives said in a conference call to discuss earnings on Thursday. CEO Gilberto Tomazoni said 12 of the company’s plants in Brazil were being expanded, as JBS […] Read more


CME December 2020 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Lean hog futures move up off one-month low

Lower corn, soy values support feeder cattle

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures rose on Thursday in a rebound from a one-month low reached in the previous session, while live cattle futures weakened. The hog market’s recovery carried futures to their highest level since Monday. Traders said the market continues to face pressure from large U.S. supplies and uncertainty over […] Read more

The project aims to shift to more legume and good-quality forage grass species rather than some of the non-essential plants or weeds now in the pasture.

More cattle, more birds and more carbon

New Brunswick community pasture project to measure the benefits of keeping land out of annual crops

Reading Time: 6 minutes The Tantramar Marsh near Sackville, New Brunswick, is a rich biodiversity zone and serves as an important flyway for North American birds. It is also home to the Tantramar Community Pasture, 1,685 acres on Crown land established in 1961 to provide cattle producers limited land to pasture their livestock and help keep costs low. About […] Read more