Ongoing tariff uncertainty continues to curtail demand in the feed sector across the Canadian Prairies, said broker Evan Peterson of JGL Commodities in Saskatoon.
Beef Cattle
Feed grains weekly: Looming tariffs scaring away demand
Feed market is ‘wait and see’ says broker
Castration via banding makes gains in popularity, safety
Animal Health: Pain relief in the bands can make the experience less irritating for young calves
The first castration banders were likely developed to replace knife or scalpel castration. They were easy to use and eliminated the complications of infections and blood loss. Castration with a knife or scalpel is harder to master and animal welfare issues must be considered. Banders have been around for a while; I recently saw an […] Read more
Tariffs not on U.S. rancher radar
Cattle groups take their advocacy directly to U.S. livestock producers
Glacier FarmMedia — The Canadian Cattle Association says the threatened 25 per cent tariffs would cut Canadian wholesale beef prices by 13 per cent, but effects would be tempered slightly by a low Canadian dollar. “Obviously a huge blow to the benchmark beef price,” CCA vice-president Tyler Fulton says. “I think many of us would […] Read more
DNA testing can have value in commercial beef sector
Costs of Production: There are advantages to testing some cows, heifers, bulls and calves
There is growing interest in the commercial beef industry around using DNA to inform selection decisions. While traditionally the realm of the seedstock industry, commercial DNA testing and changes in the way we manage cattle have led to some big changes in how we think about genetic selection. DNA testing, in broad terms, means using […] Read more
Value swings immense on cattle with imposed tariffs by U.S.
Analyst urges beef producers to stay in constant communication with evolving tariff landscape
The tremors continue to be felt across Canadian agriculture following U.S. president Donald Trump's earthquake announcement on Tuesday, that was certainly the case at the Alberta Beef Industry Conference in Calgary.
Klassen: Feeders remain firm despite tariff uncertainty
For the week ending March 1, Western Canadian feeder markets traded steady to $6 higher compared to seven days earlier. Despite expected tariffs, there was no fear to secure ownership.
FCC’s charts to consider in 2025
On a per-acre basis, equipment costs have risen faster than farm revenue
Editor’s Note: Following are excerpts from a Jan. 15 blog post by the Economics branch of Farm Credit Canada. “As we start the new year amid new challenges, including slowing population growth and potential trade barriers, here are our top charts to help make sense of the economic environment for the agriculture and agri-food sector, […] Read more
How tariffs could influence cattle prices
The Markets: A 10 per cent tariff on Canadian cattle could be absorbed by U.S. consumer prices
During the first couple weeks of January, auction markets in Western Canada experienced a surge in sales as cow-calf producers increased selling prior to the Trump inauguration. Feeder cattle markets have been trading at record highs, which may have contributed to the feeder cattle liquidation; however, most cattle producers were selling in anticipation of U.S. […] Read more
Calving season: Timing and transition
Beef producers talk about their motivations for changing calving timing
For many cow-calf producers, calving season is a favourite time of year. After waiting 283 days, farmers are finally able to see the result of their breeding decisions as well as welcome a new crop of animals that will likely become a large portion of their annual revenue. Looking at survey data over the past […] Read more
Feed Grains Weekly: Overbooked end-users worried about tariffs on Canadian beef
Feed wheat, U.S. corn too expensive
There won't be a whole lot of movement of feed grains on the Canadian Prairies any time soon, stated Darcy Haley, vice-president of Ag Value Brokers in Lethbridge. He said not only are the end-users overbooked, but the relentless uncertainty over tariffs continues to dominate the cattle industry across Western Canada.
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
