Cam and Myrna Schweitzer, from left, accepted the award from Blair McRae, Canadian Simmental Association representative.

Schweitzer Simmentals honoured with distinguished service award

Cam and Myrna Schweitzer have been breed supporters for 37 years

Dedication and perseverance play important roles in the cattle industry, from farm gate to association perspective. Showcasing those elements, Cam and Myrna Schweitzer of Schweitzer Simmentals, near Decker, were recognized by the Manitoba Simmental Association (MSA) at the Premium Beef Bull Sale held on March 18 in Neepawa. It was here where the couple received

(Doug Wilson photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Feed weekly outlook: Overwintered barley beats expectations

MarketsFarm — Last fall’s remaining barley crops coming off the field this spring were at risk of causing a supply glut in feed grain markets. Luckily, however, those overwintered barley crops are in better-than-expected condition, and not all of them are going into the feed market. “We thought there would be a lot more coming



(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

COVID-19 aid ‘falls short,’ farm groups warn

Aid package includes AgriRecovery for cattle, hog sectors

Ottawa — Despite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau saying more money will be provided if needed, the agriculture sector continues to criticize Ottawa’s $252 million in COVID-19-related financial aid offered to producers and processors. “If we have to add more, we will,” said Trudeau, after announcing new funding and programming. The federal government is offering an


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

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hogs slide after three days of gains

"The workers are spooked to come to work"

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle and hog futures retreated on Tuesday in a profit-taking setback after three sessions of gains that were fueled by rising meat prices and concerns about meat shortages as several packing plants have closed due to coronavirus infections among workers. Benchmark June lean hog futures corrected after gaining nearly 18

(File photo by Dave Bedard)

Cargill’s High River plant reopens with two slaughter shifts

Cutting line to resume Wednesday

Cargill’s southern Alberta beef packing plant, estimated to be responsible for over a third of Canada’s beef processing capacity, restarted Monday after a two-week COVID-19-related shutdown — but at a quicker pace than previously expected. The company said in a statement Monday it is resuming operations at the High River plant “with two shifts” in



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

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures climb with wholesale meat prices

About 20 North American meat plants offline

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed higher on Friday after touching a three-week top, buoyed by firm cash cattle values and surging wholesale beef prices as labor shortages slow the U.S. slaughter pace, traders said. New-month buying by speculators may have also lent support, they said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange June live cattle


Beef-processing curbs drag on butcher cattle values

Beef-processing curbs drag on butcher cattle values

Buyers are reluctant to pick up cattle as packers slow their pace

Slaughterhouse shutdowns roiled North American cattle markets during the week ended April 24, with the bottleneck in the system likely to be felt at Manitoba auctions in weeks to come. “We got lucky this week,” said Allan Munroe of Killarney Auction Mart, which held its sale on Monday, April 20 — right before Cargill announced it

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

U.S. livestock: Hogs climb on strong pork exports, wholesale prices

Packer margins, wholesale beef prices support live cattle futures

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures rose on Thursday as bullish weekly U.S. pork export data and rising wholesale prices overshadowed worries about a slowdown in the U.S. hog slaughter pace backing up hog supplies, traders said. “You’ve got a combination of export sales being strong (and) the wholesale market trading very firm