Livestock Markets & Farming Articles

Wave from grains’ dive lifts feeder cattle market

By Terryn Shiells April 10, 2013

Feeder cattle prices at auction yards across Manitoba were steady to slightly stronger during the week ended April 5, underpinned by a crash in U.S. grain futures. Robin Hill, manager of Heartland Livestock Services at Virden, said prices for feeder cattle that weighed 800 pounds or less were about one to two cents per pound

Livestock Markets, Opinion

COOL: Some are for it, some are not

By Daryll E. Ray, Harwood D. Schaffer April 9, 2013

More than a decade after mandatory country-of-origin labelling (COOL) was first included in the Farm Bill, the debate continues. We’ve examined a legal opinion by the legal firm Stewart and Stewart (S&S) — paid for by the National Farmers Union, the United States Cattleman’s Association, the Food and Water Watch, and Public Citizen’s Global Trade

Beef cattle, Livestock, Livestock Markets

Lack of feed has local buyers cautious at markets

By Terryn Shiells April 9, 2013

Auction yards across Manitoba continued to see strong volumes of cattle come up for sale during the week ended March 28. Some of the auction yards in the province’s southwest saw more cattle than anticipated, because their sales the week prior were very small due to weather problems. Rick Wright, a buyer with Heartland Buying

Livestock, Livestock Markets

April live cattle futures post new contract low in first quarter of 2013

By David Drozd April 9, 2013

A drop of $13 per hwt is a classic example of the market topping out when the news is the most bullish

Live cattle prices have been under pressure since peaking in December amid bullish headlines and news that took prices to historic highs. Cattle and calves in the United States according to USDA estimates as of January 1, 2013 totalled 89.3 million head, which is two per cent below the 90.8-million figure recorded a year earlier.

Livestock, Livestock Markets

Slaughter cows just keep coming to Manitoba markets

By Terryn Shiells March 28, 2013

The number of slaughter cows coming on to the market in Manitoba continued to remain strong during the week ended March 22, which had some industry members surprised. “Everybody is asking the same thing: ‘Where do the cows keep coming from?’” said Keith Cleaver, manager of Heartland Livestock Services at Brandon. “Everybody is surprised. You

Beef cattle, Hogs, Livestock Markets, News

Traders prepare to go long lean hogs

By Gavin Maguire March 28, 2013

The lean hog market is approaching a well-defined seasonal bottom that usually occurs during the opening half of April, and a number of traders are gearing up to go long that commodity over the coming weeks. They hope to be in position ahead of any upturn in values fuelled by a drop in fresh meat

Hogs, Livestock, Livestock Markets

Canada considers next move in COOL controversy

By Alex Binkley March 28, 2013

Canada is still considering what U.S. exports it might target for retaliatory tariffs if Washington fails to comply with a World Trade Organization ruling against its country-of-origin labelling law, says Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. “We’re looking at all our options, but we don’t want to penalize our allies in the U.S. livestock and meat-processing sectors

Hogs, Livestock, Livestock Markets

U.S. February cattle placements at 17-year low, pork stocks swell

March 28, 2013

chicago / reuters / The number of cattle placed in U.S. feedlots in February fell to the lowest for the month in 17 years, a government report showed March 22, a sign that prolonged drought continued to impact the industry. A separate U.S. Department of Agriculture storage report showed that pork stocks at the end

Beef cattle, Livestock, Livestock Markets, Poultry

Cold start to spring slows demand for high-quality U.S. beef

By Michael Hirtzer March 28, 2013

Wholesale prices for choice grade have dipped below lower-quality cuts Persistently cold weather and snowfall on the first day of spring have crimped demand for high-quality cuts of beef in the United States at a time of year that typically sees increased purchases for so-called grilling season, analysts and traders said March 21. In a

Beef cattle, Livestock, Livestock Markets

Prices remain in neutral as storm-stayed cattle arrive

By Phil Franz-Warkentin March 25, 2013

Cattle numbers moving through Manitoba’s auction yards saw a sharp increase during the week ended March 15, as the weather co-operated and animals held back because of a snowstorm the previous week made it to market. Prices held steady overall, with top-end bids for all classes of cattle across the province not changing too dramatically

Daily Network News

U.S. grains: Chicago grain prices fall amid profit-taking and dollar rebound

U.S. livestock: Cattle fall back as inventory hits 75-year low

Farm family income gains driven by off-farm earnings: StatCan

Livestock Markets