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

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle, lean hogs fall on weaker slaughter

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle and lean hog futures fell on Friday as sluggish slaughter rates continue to drag on prices, traders said. “They’re both facing the same fundamental music – this slaughter disruption due to weather, labour tightness and COVID,” said Dennis Smith, commodity broker at Archer Financial. CME February […] Read more

CME February 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle futures firm

Cash cattle prices provide support; lean hogs also firm with cash index

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures moved higher on Thursday, supported by cash cattle prices in the northern U.S. Plains, analysts said. “We’ve been under some pressure recently, but the cash trade was still at $138 to $140,” said Doug Houghton, technical analyst at Brock Capital Management (all figures US$). “That’s […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle down on lagging slaughter rates

Lighter supplies support lean hog futures

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures eased for a fifth consecutive session on Wednesday, pressured by lagging slaughterhouse production, analysts said. “We’re just not processing cattle fast enough. Some of the supply chain bottle necks that have affected the cattle market up to this point, they still remain in play,” said […] Read more

Feeder cattle market poised to rally in 2022

Feeder cattle market poised to rally in 2022

Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Higher barley production forecast, with feed grain prices expected to fall

Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a live basis in the range of $163-$165 during the second week of December. This is up $9-$11 from 30 days earlier. Canadian prices have been pulled higher by strength in the U.S. fed market. Fed cattle prices in Texas and Kansas were actively trading in the range […] Read more


Jennifer Hayes. (CDC-ccl.ca)

New chair named for Canadian Dairy Commission

Appointment still leaves board shorthanded

Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau has hired from within the Canadian Dairy Commission to get it a new chairperson. Bibeau on Tuesday announced Quebec dairy farmer Jennifer Hayes as the CDC’s new chair for a four-year term starting Dec. 23, 2021. Hayes, who had served as commissioner on the CDC’s three-person board since January 2017, […] Read more

Environment Canada’s forecast probabilities of precipitation for the January-through-March period. (Weather.gc.ca)

Colder-than-normal Prairie winter forecast

MarketsFarm — Colder-than-normal temperatures are in the long-range forecast across Western Canada over the next three months, while much of Eastern Canada should be warmer. The latest seasonal forecast from Environment Canada, released Friday, calls for a 50 to 90 per cent chance of below-normal temperatures from January through March for the four western provinces. […] Read more


CME February 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle, lean hogs dip on regulatory concerns

Biden proposal seen improving producers' cut of price

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures eased on Tuesday, pressured by new federal efforts to address a lack of competition in the U.S. meat processing sector. The initiative, announced by U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday, includes funding for more independent meat processors, strengthening enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act, […] Read more

(Lauri Patterson/E+/Getty Images)

Canada violated CUSMA pact by reserving dairy quotas, panel finds

Canada 'will ensure compliance,' trade minister's rep says

Washington | Reuters — Canada violated a trade accord with the U.S. and Mexico by reserving most of its preferential dairy tariff-rate quotas for Canadian processors, a dispute panel found, and Washington warned it could retaliate if Ottawa did not change course. The U.S. Trade Representative’s office claimed victory for Washington in the first dispute […] Read more