Beef Cattle & Production Tips

Beef Cattle, Hogs, Livestock, Markets, Reuters

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures drop on fund selling

By Mark Weinraub, GFM Network News December 22, 2020

Chicago | Reuters – U.S. cattle futures fell on Tuesday, with traders noting pressure from fund selling. Hog futures were slightly firmer as investors squared positions ahead of a key government supply report. Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) February live cattle futures dropped 1.2 cents to settle at 113.45 cents per pound. The contract found support […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Cow-Calf, Finishers, Livestock, Markets

Klassen: Fed cattle prices supporting calf market

By Jerry Klassen, GFM Network News December 22, 2020

Alberta packers were buying fed cattle in the range of $139 to $140 last week, up $1 to $2 from seven days earlier. Strength in the nearby fed cattle market along with the recent rally in the live cattle futures has been supportive for calves under 600 pounds. Compared to last week, Western Canadian yearling […] Read more

Beef cattle feeding in Ontario. (DebraLee Wiseberg/iStock/Getty Images)

Beef Cattle, Livestock, Markets

Ontario’s beef set-aside AgriRecovery plan underway

Applications for first intake due Dec. 22

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News December 22, 2020

A set-aside program has formally been launched to help Ontario’s 6,800-odd cattle producers maintain market-ready animals while Eastern Canada’s biggest beef slaughter plant remains closed. Federal and provincial officials on Monday announced applications are now open for the Canada-Ontario COVID-19 AgriRecovery Beef Emergency Feed Maintenance Initiative, with applications for the first intake period due by […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Livestock, Markets

Guelph beef plant idled against COVID-19 outbreak

Cattle set-aside plan en route, BFO says

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News December 17, 2020

Agrifood giant Cargill is temporarily halting production at its beef processing plant at Guelph, Ont. in the wake of a significant COVID-19 outbreak among employees. The company announced it would “begin the process to temporarily idle” the Dunlop Drive plant effective Thursday (Dec. 17). “This was a difficult decision for our team who are operating […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Finishers, Livestock, Markets

Klassen: Feeder cattle market volatility continues

By Jerry Klassen, GFM Network News December 16, 2020

Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $3 lower to $3 higher. Prices were generally steady to $3 higher on Friday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture lowered its estimate for second-quarter beef production by 125 million lbs. in Thursday’s world agricultural supply and demand estimates (WASDE). Fed and feeder cattle futures […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Finishers, Livestock, Markets

Klassen: Feeder market takes direction from live cattle futures

By Jerry Klassen, GFM Network News December 8, 2020

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded steady to $4 lower; midweight calves traded $3 lower to $3 higher and calves under 550 lbs. were relatively unchanged. Yearling supplies are limited at this time of year but demand is also hard to find. These cattle will come on the fed market during the […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Hogs, Livestock, Markets, Reuters

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

By GFM Network News December 7, 2020

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

A backgrounding target is something that is constantly moving, depending on the owner’s long-term plan.

Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Backgrounding options and considerations

Penchecker Diary: What's the risk level? What’s the end game?

By Bruce Derksen December 1, 2020

The term ‘backgrounding,’ while often used in the cattle-feeding industry, provokes a certain level of misunderstanding from farm to farm. Many feedlots and cow-calf producers have zeroed in on its true meaning, while others may practise an imprecise version. Candace Wenzel DVM at Roblin Vet Services in Manitoba says that at times it’s an unfocused […] Read more

Finishers, Livestock, Markets

Klassen: Feeder market stabilizes on demand hopes

By Jerry Klassen, GFM Network News December 1, 2020

Western Canadian feeder cattle markets were relatively unchanged compared to seven days earlier; however, market reports were quite variable depending on the region and weight category. In most cases, prices for calves under 550 lbs. were $2 to as much as $10 higher while values in the heavier weight categories were $3 lower to $3 […] Read more

Beef is on display at a Walmart in Beijing on Sept. 23, 2019. (File photo: Reuters/Tingshu Wang)

Beef Cattle, Livestock, Markets, Reuters

China’s coronavirus testing chokes beef trade

Additional inspections, disinfections costly for importers

By GFM Network News November 27, 2020

Beijing | Reuters — In a supermarket in downtown Beijing, refrigerator shelves normally filled with steak from around the world sit empty as tougher testing for the novel coronavirus creates supply bottlenecks and raises prices for importers. Fresh supplies of beef won’t arrive for days, a salesman at the Suning.com-owned Carrefour outlet told Reuters — […] Read more

Daily Network News

Canadian Cattle Association won’t back traceability changes

Farmers’ Almanac rescued from closure; fate of Canadian content unknown

Do More Ag to fund rural groups’ mental health workshops

Beef Cattle