Cattle prices steady but still high

Cattle prices steady but still high

Calves are turning up earlier than usual at Manitoba markets

High-end prices for feeders were still at record levels for the week ended Oct. 5, but some prices were either steady or lower compared to the previous week. In the case of Killarney Auction Mart, prices for feeder heifers and slaughter cattle were little changed at its regular sale on Oct. 2. Heavyweight steer prices

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

U.S. livestock: Chicago cattle turn higher

CME lean hogs mostly lower

Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) cattle futures turned solidly higher Wednesday while lean hogs mostly continued lower. Most-active December live cattle closed 1.975 cents higher Wednesday at 186.975 cents/lb., erasing two days’ losses, but not before touching a one-month low of 184.25 (all figures US$). Both front-month October 2023 and February 2024 turned 1.925 cents higher,


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

U.S. livestock: Live cattle mostly lower

Lean hogs also down a second day

Most-active December live cattle on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) turned lower for a second day in a row Tuesday, as did lean hog and deferred-month feeder cattle futures. December live cattle closed Tuesday at 185 cents/lb., down 0.35 cent on the day, while lightly-traded front-month October ended up 0.2 cent at 182.575 cents/lb. (all

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Steam evaporates off yearling market

August 2024 feeder futures at a premium

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded steady to $4 lower. The yearling quality continues to fade as thicker flesh levels are starting to appear. Steer calves were down $4-$8 on average while heifer calves were down $15 to as much as $20 in some cases. From a seasonal perspective, the calf market



Conservative agriculture critic John Barlow speaks Nov. 24, 2021 in the House of Commons. (Screengrab from supplied video)

Anti-activist bill back before Commons committee

Bill adds protections for biosecurity, farmers' mental health, Barlow says

A bill to create harsher penalties for unlawful entry onto farms and biosecure zones is back before the House of Commons after a previous iteration died on the order table in 2021. Conservative MP John Barlow brought forward Bill C-275, “an Act to amend the Health of Animals Act (biosecurity on farms),” as a private


CME December 2023 lean hogs with 10-, 20- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME hogs rally, export sales in focus

Cattle futures turn lower

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures rallied on Thursday, with signs of strong export demand supporting prices following the market’s decline to its lowest in more than four months on Wednesday. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said on Thursday morning that export sales of pork totaled 42,900 metric tonnes in

Downside to record cattle prices spurs call for industry co-operation

Downside to record cattle prices spurs call for industry co-operation

AUCTIONS | For auction markets, this fall run looks to be more like a fall marathon

Prices at Manitoba’s cattle auctions continued to be among the strongest ever seen during the week ended Sept. 28 — and as the fall run got fully underway, the province saw large numbers of cattle come in for sale. “It’s very busy,” said Tyler Slawinski, auctioneer for Gladstone as well as the Ashern Auction Mart.


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

U.S. livestock: CME hog futures break losing streak

CME cattle futures close firm

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures closed firm on Wednesday, snapping a three session losing streak as traders said that the U.S. government’s most recent bearish supply forecast had been priced into the market. Cattle futures were consolidating after posting sharp declines a day earlier, but both feeders and live cattle

CME December 2023 live cattle with 20-, 40- and 50-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures drop on technical selling

U.S. supply outlook drags on hog futures

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures fell on Tuesday, pressured by technical selling and demand concerns, traders said. Hog futures notched their third straight losing session as the government’s bigger-than-expected supply report from last week continued to weigh on the market. The benchmark CME December lean hogs futures contract sank 0.425 cent