CME February 2023 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hog futures rise on short-covering

CME cattle futures also up

Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters — CME Group hog futures rose on Tuesday, snapping a streak of five straight losing sessions on some mild short-covering, traders said. Gains were kept in check by concerns that demand for pork during China’s Lunar New Year celebrations will be lighter than usual due to rising COVID-19 cases in the country. […] Read more

CME August 2023 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

Klassen: Stronger deferred live cattle support feeder market

Cow-calf operators seen hesitant to expand

Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $2-$3 on either side of unchanged. Calf prices were mostly unchanged compared to seven days earlier; however, there were pockets where buyers reported prices up $2-$3 on average. The Alberta calf market appeared to stage a minor recovery after softening over the past month. Manitoba markets […] Read more


CME February 2023 lean hogs with 20-day moving average (pink line) and CME cash lean hog index (blue line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME February hogs hit two-month low

China COVID-19 concerns a factor; live cattle close higher

Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters — CME live hog futures fell to a two-month low on Monday, notching their fifth straight day of declines on concerns that Chinese pork consumption will fall during the country’s upcoming Lunar New Year celebrations, traders said. Cattle futures were firm, with strength in the cash market underpinning prices. Weakness in Chinese […] Read more

CME February 2023 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle firm on cash resiliency

Lean hogs down on supply outlook

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange climbed on Friday, supported by resilient cash cattle prices across the U.S. Plains this week, traders said. “We had cash come right back,” said Joe Kooima, commodity broker at Kooima Kooima Varilek Trading Inc. “Cash was a dollar better in the south.” Cash […] Read more


CME January 2023 feeder cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures firm despite softer cash cattle

Hog futures down as exports disappoint

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Feeder cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange climbed on Thursday, supported by sluggish corn futures, while live cattle gains were muted as meatpackers offered lower cash cattle prices this week, traders said. “They’ve backed off a bit in the cash market,” said Doug Houghton, technical analyst at Brock Capital Management. […] Read more

CME February 2023 live cattle with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle ease on seasonal retail softness

February hogs lower despite export optimism

Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange dipped on Wednesday, as easing post-holiday retail demand, combined with strong cash cattle prices, eats into processor profitability. “This week specifically is when we transition to buying for a lower-demand period, post-holidays,” said Rich Nelson, chief strategist at Allendale Inc. “Packer margins are […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder cattle market experiences diverse price behaviour

Manitoba calves hold a premium over Sask., Alta.

Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded steady to $2 higher while calf prices were unchanged to $4 lower. Yearling supplies are limited and there appeared to be a surge of buying interest for 850-lb. thin-fleshed replacements. Alberta fed cattle basis levels for the second quarter of 2023 have above average and the […] Read more

CME February 2023 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle fall on wholesale beef weakness

Feeder cattle, February hogs also lower

Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange slid on Tuesday, pressured by falling wholesale beef prices. “We had a really disappointing box beef value fall off to start the week yesterday, and a little follow through today,” said Matthew Wiegand, risk management consultant at FuturesOne. Most retailers have completed purchases […] Read more


CME January 2023 feeder cattle (candlesticks, right column) with CBOT March 2023 corn (orange line, left column). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME feeder cattle firm as corn inputs slide

Live cattle climb higher in deferred months; February hogs also up

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Feeder cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange firmed for the fifth consecutive session, as corn, a significant input for producers, continues to fall, traders said. “The feeders have sort of been hobbled for a long time because of the elevated feed price,” said Dennis Smith, livestock analyst and broker at […] Read more

CME January 2023 feeder cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME feeder, live cattle firm as trade eyes supplies

February lean hogs close higher

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Feeder cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange firmed on Friday, supported by lower feed grain costs and resilient live cattle futures, traders said. “The market has held together well, so there’s optimism there. Then you’ve got the grain market down double digits today, and down the day before,” said Altin […] Read more