Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $2 to $4 on either side of unchanged; however, calves under 650 pounds were steady to as much as $5 higher. Bids from Alberta packers were sharply higher with fed cattle trading in the range of $160 to $162 on Friday, up $5 to $6 […] Read more
Klassen: Improving margins support lightweight feeder cattle
U.S. livestock: Hog futures slip ahead of USDA report
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters – U.S. hog futures eased back on Monday, ahead of a quarterly government report that is expected to show a healthy boost to the size of the U.S. hog herd, traders said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s quarterly Hogs and Pigs report is expected to show the herd increased 2.9 percent in […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market volatility continues
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded steady to $5 higher on average. For the second week in a row, the markets were quite variable across the Prairies but shorter-keep yearlings appeared to lead the charge higher. In Alberta, quality 900-lb. steers were once again touching the $190 level and 800-lb.-plus steers […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market under weight of imports
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $5 lower to $2 higher. It’s that time of year when most feedlots are carrying sufficient numbers and buyers are hesitant to increase ownership unless they can see profitability. Auction market volumes contained weaned and unweaned calves over the past week; premiums returned for feeders […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market drops on soft demand
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets were down $4-$6 while calf prices dropped $5 to as much as much as $10 in some cases. Comments from order buyers reflect very sluggish demand for this time of year. Ontario farmers have harvested about 50 per cent of the corn crop and buying interest from […] Read more
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
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
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
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
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
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
