CME June 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hogs set new contract highs with supplies in focus

USDA shows more cattle on feed

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures rallied on Friday, with most contracts setting new highs as strong prices for pork and concerns about supplies underpinned the market. Most-active June lean hog futures jumped 3.775 cents to finish at 125.85 cents/lb., closing above the high end of its 20-day Bollinger range after facing […] Read more

In all of Western Canada, total beef cows as of January 1, 2022 were 3.089 million head, down only 23,500 head from last year. This isn’t significant enough to say that producers liquidated cows due to the drought. This is a minor change due to market influences.

Stats Can survey updates the beef numbers

Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Drought impact was less than expected, but what will the war in Europe mean to beef markets?

Feeder cattle prices across Western Canada have been quite volatile due to geopolitical issues. I’ve received many calls from cow-calf producers and backgrounding operators regarding the timing of feeder cattle sales. Prices have varied significantly from week to week. For example, the price of 600-pound steers in Alberta varied recently by as much as $15 […] Read more


CME June 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, brown and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hog futures ease after hitting contract highs

Chicago cattle futures firm

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures were mostly lower on Thursday as traders locked in profits after many contracts rallied to fresh highs on Wednesday. Weak exports of pork added pressure to the hog market. Most-active June lean hog futures eased 0.9 cent to finish at 122.075 cents/lb. (all figures US$). The […] Read more

You need some patience, but the positioning of this cowboy to the side of the heifer will gently encourage her to move forward without a lot of yelling and stress.

Make use of portable corrals on pasture

Weaning and timely vaccinations can be done without bringing the herd home

Using portable equipment (some of which is not new but hasn’t been mainstream in the cattle industry) such as portable corrals or a “Bud Box” can make handling much easier when cattle are in large range pastures, says Dr. Tom Noffsinger, a Nebraska veterinarian. Having proper facilities makes it much easier to sort and load […] Read more


CME June 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME hogs rally on pork price, cash market strength

Cattle futures also up on day

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures rallied on Wednesday, with the most-active June contract jumping 2.4 per cent and hitting an all-time high, supported by rising pork prices and strength in the cash market. CME April lean hog futures rose 2.3 cents to end at 102.55 cents/lb. (all figures US$). Most-active June […] Read more

CME June 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 10-, 20- and 50-day moving averages (pink, brown and dark red lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME hog futures mixed

CBOT cattle futures weak

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures were mixed on Tuesday, with deferred contracts firming on expectations that supplies will remain tight until the summer, traders said. The front-month hog contract eased on follow-through selling after hitting technical resistance and closing well below its peak on Monday. Cattle futures also were weaker, pressured […] Read more


Brazilian meatpacker JBS SA’s logo on a tower in Jundiai, northwest of Sao Paulo in southeastern Brazil, on June 1, 2017. (File photo: Reuters/Paulo Whitaker)

JBS says U.S. domestic and international businesses to remain strong

Sao Paulo | Reuters — Brazilian meatpacker JBS, which operates multiple food processing facilities in the U.S. and one of Canada’s largest beef packing plants, said its North American operations will continue to drive performance. Speaking at a conference call to discuss fourth-quarter results, management said JBS will benefit from strong U.S. domestic demand for […] Read more

Understanding bull EPDs is important when making selection decisions, and Roy Lewis asks if there should be some adjustments made to scrotal circumference measurements.

A few key points on producing livestock

Animal Health with Roy Lewis: A mixed bag of things to consider, and important topics to discuss with your local vet

With my training and experience as a veterinary practice owner, later in the pharmaceutical industry and also as a beef producer myself, I question things from several different angles. If there is a more practical, safe or cost-effective way of doing things, that’s the road I take. When veterinarians give advice. it’s also important that […] Read more


CME April 2023 live cattle (candlesticks, right column) with CME April 2022 feeder cattle (dark red line, left column). (Barchart)

Klassen: Deferred live cattle futures underpin feeder cattle prices

Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $2-$4 on either side of unchanged. Major feedlot operations in Alberta continue to carry large numbers of market-ready cattle. The backlog of fed cattle appears to be worse than earlier anticipated. Yearlings were featured at auction barns in the main feeding regions of Alberta. Feedlot […] Read more

CME May 2022 feeder cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, brown and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle fall, hogs firm

Supply level cause for 'a little bit of concern'

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures fell on Monday as traders took positions ahead of a U.S. government report later this week that was expected to show burgeoning supplies. “There is a little bit of concern about excess supplies and large finishing weights,” said Rich Nelson, chief strategist with Allendale Inc. Hog […] Read more