CME February 2021 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Short covering, bargain buying lift cattle, hog futures

Meat prices, cash values temper gains

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures firmed on Wednesday in a short-covering and bargain-buying bounce following four straight losing sessions that had dragged prices to 2-1/2-week lows. Lean hog futures also firmed on short covering and bargain buying, though livestock traders remained generally cautious as they monitor broadening coronavirus restrictions and pandemic relief […] Read more

Tom Vilsack speaks to farmers at a rural agricultural co-operative at Guira de Melena in Cuba on Nov. 13, 2015. (Photo: Reuters/Alexandre Meneghini)

Vilsack expected to return as USDA secretary

Washington/Chicago | Reuters — U.S. President-elect Joe Biden plans to nominate former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack for agriculture secretary, Axios reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The Biden transition office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report. Vilsack, who led the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under […] Read more



Photo: File

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures fall as accelerating pandemic stirs demand concern

Chicago | Reuters – U.S. cattle and hog futures fell on Monday as cash beef and pork prices weakened and as accelerating coronavirus infection rates prompted tighter restrictions on restaurants and other food service outlets, threatening meat sales. Meanwhile, renewed tensions between the United States and China, after fresh U.S. sanctions on 14 Chinese officials, […] Read more



(Gloria Solano-Aguilar photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Ontario hog set-aside plan underway

AgriRecovery program taking applications through March

Ontario hog farmers can now apply for AgriRecovery toward feed costs for hogs held back from sale when certain pork packers went into COVID-19-induced slowdowns. Agricorp, the province’s ag program delivery agency, on Nov. 25 announced the Canada-Ontario COVID-19 2020 Hog Maintenance Feed Initiative, which started effective Nov. 6 and will run through to March […] Read more


CME February 2021 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures step back on demand uncertainty

Lean hogs down with pork production up

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures fell on Friday as a third day of softer wholesale beef prices brought retailer demand into question, traders said. “Wholesale beef prices appear to have topped again and could head lower into the holidays, other than some late buying by retailers last minute,” said Doug Houghton, technical analyst […] Read more

CME February 2021 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20- and 50-day moving averages and January 2021 feeder cattle (black line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures step back on demand uncertainty

February lean hog futures lower

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures trimmed on Thursday as fears of additional pandemic closures weighed on the demand outlook, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange February live cattle futures fell 1.35 cents to 112.575 cents/lb., the contract’s biggest decline in two weeks (all figures US$). CME January feeder cattle ended two cents lower at […] Read more


File photo of goats on display at the Hanover Agricultural Fair in Grunthal, Man. in August 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

U.S. transport regulators reject ’emotional support animal’ status

Service dog status still protected; 'support' goats, turkeys, others up to airlines

Washington | Reuters — Only trained dogs qualify as service animals on U.S. airlines, as regulators rejected requests to extend legal protections to miniature horses, pigs, turkeys and other species, under final U.S. Transportation Department rules issued Wednesday. Airlines can still choose which other species to allow on board, but the rules issued on Wednesday […] Read more

CME February 2021 live cattle with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures gain on strong cash trade

CME lean hogs down off six-week high

Chicago | Reuetrs — Live cattle futures gained on Wednesday, supported by a firming cash cattle market as traders eye the consumer demand picture. Chicago Mercantile Exchange February live cattle futures added 0.75 cent to settle at 113.925 cents/lb. (all figures US$). Tighter cattle supplies could begin pushing cash markets higher, whittling away at historically […] Read more