File photo of Diefenbaker Lake in southern Saskatchewan. (IanChrisGraham/iStock/Getty Images)

Saskatchewan ag minister to oversee water agency

Marit gets additional duties in cabinet shuffle

Saskatchewan’s minister of agriculture will take on added responsibility for the provincial Water Security Agency following a cabinet mini-shuffle. Premier Scott Moe on Tuesday named David Marit, MLA for the southwestern riding of Wood River since 2016 an minister for agriculture and Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp. since 2018, as minister responsible for the WSA. In […] Read more

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

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle dip as traders weigh cash, consumer demand

Hog futures down on supply expectations

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures eased on Tuesday after four days of gains, as traders look for direction from consumer demand amid tight cattle supplies, analysts said. “I think we’ve been sideways for cattle now for over a month and, I guess until we see a change on the product […] Read more


Haying season gets underway, a tribute to a great-granddaughter

Haying season gets underway, a tribute to a great-granddaughter

Warranty was applied to replace a bull bought last year

June 20 Two weeks ago, after the doctor here checked Dani’s baby, they were sent to Community Hospital in Missoula to be checked and monitored overnight (see ‘Tribute’ at bottom). Ammarie was doing better by next day so Andrea brought them home. Later that week we had a vet look at Barney, our new bull. […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Calf numbers down in Western Canada

StatCan figures a surprise to the trade

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets were relatively unchanged. Yearlings straight off grass were very well bid and prices held value. Yearlings over 800 lbs. on light grain ration were quoted $15-$20 discount to those cattle coming straight off pasture. We’re seeing heavier calves around 800 lbs. trade at $330-$340. Increased calf numbers […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: CME feeder cattle up on consumer demand, tight supplies

Labour Day weekend demand also lifts hogs

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange feeder cattle futures gained on Monday, supported by consumer demand and continued tightening of available cattle, analysts said. “I think we probably did get a little help here from retail movement over the last week,” said Alan Brugler, president of Brugler Marketing, noting the Labour Day holiday is […] Read more

Beef cattle bunching

Delivering a knockout punch to pinkeye

There are several tools that help reduce the risk of disease outbreak

Summer is not over and the pastures are full of flies, so when I drive down the highway and see cattle bunched up in a pasture, they are either trying to get away from the heat or from these annoying pests. One of the most notorious pests is the face fly, the leading culprit for […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle gain as heat impacts producers

Seasonal pressures drag on hog futures

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures gained on Friday as processors looked to incentivize market-ready cattle movement while producers struggled against high temperatures on the U.S. Plains, analysts said. “We saw packers willing to pay up to keep stuff moving. With the hot weather, you had probably reduced performance and a […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Deal for Subway chain worth up to US$9.55 billion

Arby's, Jimmy John's parent wins with 'earn-out' deal

New York | Reuters — Private equity firm Roark Capital agreed on Thursday to buy Subway, in a deal that people familiar with the matter said values the U.S. sandwich chain at up to US$9.55 billion, including debt, subject to targets in its financial performance. The deal marks the conclusion of a drawn-out auction that […] Read more


CME October 2023 live cattle with 20-day moving average (pink line, right index) and CME October 2023 feeder cattle (dark red line, left index). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle up on cash optimism, heat risk

Lean hogs also up on strong pork prices

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures firmed on Thursday, supported by concerns about heat stress in the U.S. Plains, as well as optimism in the cash cattle market, analysts said. “The cash outlook seems pretty firm,” said Doug Houghton, technical analyst at Brock Capital Management. ” I think there’s some support […] Read more

Retail beef prices continue to hold value near historical highs while restaurant spending has exceeded expectations.

U.S. cattle herd continues to contract

Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Expect one more year of high calf prices before expansion begins

Alberta fed cattle prices softened in July due to an increase in market-ready supplies and weaker wholesale beef prices. During the first week of August, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle in southern Alberta at $235/cwt fob the feedlot. This is down from the mid-June record high of $246/cwt. At the same time, wholesale choice […] Read more