(Geralyn Wichers photo)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle ease despite cash market support

Despite losses, supportive fundamentals remain for live cattle

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures eased on Wednesday, pressured by macroeconomic weight as a downgrade that stripped the U.S. of its top credit rating rippled throughout markets, analysts said. Despite losses, supportive fundamentals remain for live cattle. “We’re still going into smaller numbers,” said Joe Kooima, commodity broker at Kooima […] Read more

File photo of cattle in an Alberta feedlot. (Geralyn Wichers photo)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle firms on strong cash market

Lean hog futures eased after reaching fresh four-month highs

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures gained on Tuesday, helped by strong cash prices and technical support, analysts said. “Cash market is still hanging in there at $179 to $180 area. More than that in the north. So August was too big of a discount,” said Alan Brugler, president of Brugler […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: U.S. feeder markets lead Canadian prices higher

Dry conditions in Saskatchewan and parts of Alberta are moving yearlings off grass sooner than expected

Compared to last week, Western Canadian yearling markets once again jumped $3-$5/cwt on average. Higher quality 900-pound steers are reaching up to the range of $310-$315/cwt. Comments from readers suggest that 850-900-pound steers are trading up to $315-$320/cwt. Calves in the 500-550-pound range are reaching just over the $400/cwt level. Dryer conditions in Saskatchewan and […] Read more

Photo: ARS/USDA

U.S. livestock: CME lean hog futures climb on strong demand

SubtitleCattle futures were pressured by softer cash prices and uncertain consumer demand

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures climbed to nearly four-month highs on Monday, supported by strong demand. “Cash trade got off to a good start. There’s margin out there with where fresh pork values are at. I think that’s helping to move things along,” said Matthew Wiegand, risk management consultant at FuturesOne. […] Read more


(Deyana Robova photo/iStock/Getty Images)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hog futures reach one-week high

For beef processors, margins are worsening

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange livestock futures rose on Friday, with the hog market reaching its highest price in a week as profit margins improved for pork processors. The hog market has turned higher after dropping to a one-week low on Wednesday. Most-active October lean hog futures LHV3 ended up 1.775 cents to […] Read more

Photo: MaksymTopchyi/iStock/Getty Images

Feed weekly outlook: wheat, barley prices still on the rise 

Demand for feed grains on the quiet side as feedlots order more United States corn says analyst

Marketsfarm – Variable crop conditions in Alberta and Saskatchewan are contributing to rising feed grain prices on the Prairies just weeks away from harvest.  Erin Harakal, trade manager for Agfinity Inc. in Stony Plain, Alta., said while conditions in the northern half of Alberta are good in some places, areas around Red Deer and parts […] Read more



Photo: Canada Beef

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures extend profit-taking slide

Chicago | Reuters – Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group fell on Tuesday for a fourth session on profit-taking after last week’s contract highs, and a month-long slide in wholesale beef prices that erased meat packers’ profit margins, analysts said. CME August live cattle futures LCQ3 settled Tuesday down 0.450 cent at 178.300 cents […] Read more


(File photo)

U.S. livestock: live cattle futures end mixed; feeders pressured as corn soars

Persistent poor pasture conditions pushing producers to place more cattle in feedlots: analysts

Chicago | Reuters – Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group closed mixed on Monday, with nearby contracts pressured by surging feed grain prices and bearish data in Friday’s monthly U.S. Cattle on Feed report. CME August live cattle futures LCQ3 settled down 1.275 cents at 178.750 cents per pound and most-active October LCV3 […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: tight supplies continue to underpin feeder complex 

Feedlot operators shrug off past week's rally in the corn market

Compared to last week, Western Canadian yearling markets traded $2-$5/cwt higher on average while calves were up $5/cwt to as much as $10/cwt in some cases. Feather light calves under 500 pounds reached fresh historical highs with 300-400 pound steers trading from $400-$450/cwt in Southern Alberta.  Finishing feedlots continue to be aggressive on yearlings for […] Read more