Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) cattle futures turned higher on Tuesday on technical trading and market anticipation that packers increase buying on a shortened holiday week, analysts said.
In the week ending May 25, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets were trading $4 to $8 higher compared to seven days earlier. Some higher quality genetic packages of 700-pound plus cattle were up as much as $10 from week-ago levels.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures ended mixed on Friday, amid growing uncertainty over packer interest after the U.S. Memorial Day holiday weekend, traders said.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures slumped to a February low on Thursday under pressure from solid U.S. production and weaker cash prices, traders said.
Farmers and the animal nutrition industry need to understand that feeding livestock today requires thinking about what comes out of an animal as much as what goes in, according to many at the Animal Nutrition Conference of Canada.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange live and feeder cattle futures rallied on Wednesday amid expectations of strength in the cash markets, while lean hog futures faced continued pressure from data showing that U.S. packers are processing a glut of pork, analysts said.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures dropped to their lowest level since February under pressure from solid U.S. production on Tuesday, while live cattle futures reached their highest price since March, analysts said.
Wholesale beef prices have jumped this week as retailers and meat processors look ahead to the Memorial Day weekend at the end of the month. The holiday is considered the start of the peak grilling season for products like steaks and hamburgers.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures firmed for a second straight day on Wednesday as rising beef prices and strong packer demand ahead of the Memorial Day holiday weekend supported the market, analysts said.