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

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures up for third straight day

December, February hogs lower

Chicago | Reuters — CME Group cattle futures rose for a third day in a row on Friday, with the front-month live cattle contract hitting a fresh 4-1/2-year high on strong cash markets and rising slaughter numbers. Hog futures were weaker on technical selling. CME’s most-active February live cattle contract gained 0.45 cent to 137.7 […] Read more

bulls in pen

Managing the stifled cow or bull

Animal Health with Roy Lewis: A condition that can be treated, but culling may also be best option

A stifle condition is more commonly seen in older cows and in bulls that suffer breeding injuries. Many of these lamenesses are probably diagnosed incorrectly and in many cases treated inappropriately, often resulting in an animals being kept too long. When we talk about a stifled cow or bull, we refer to injury to ligaments […] Read more


Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau (second from left) and Nate Horner (right), her Alberta counterpart, during a tour of Olds College’s Smart Farm on Thursday. (Photo: Olds College/Sergei Belski, www.oldscollege.ca)

Alberta looks for feed, Ottawa promises cash for B.C.

Alberta to help with veterinary testing after B.C.'s lab flooded, Alberta ag minister says

Even though supplies are low because of drought, Alberta is looking for feed to send to B.C. livestock producers, while Ottawa will provide emergency financial assistance to farmers dealing with flooding and closed roads in the hard-hit province. “We’ve been working with the B.C. department of agriculture,” Alberta Agriculture Minister Nate Horner said during a […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cash, export markets lift CME live cattle

December hogs lower, February up

Chicago | Reuters — CME Group cattle futures rose on Thursday, with the front-month live cattle contract hitting its highest since June 2017 on support from strength in the cash markets. Rising overseas demand also lent support cattle futures after the U.S. Agriculture Department said that weekly beef export sales totaled 30,000 tonnes, the most […] Read more



Community members struggle to rescue stranded cattle from an Abbotsford, B.C.-area farm on Nov. 16, 2021 after rainstorms caused flooding and landslides in the region. (Photo: Reuters/Jesse Winter)

Small navy of farmers rescues cattle in flood-hit B.C.

Abbotsford | Reuters — A flotilla of motorboats, canoes, dinghies and jet-skis helmed by farmers raced to move dozens of trapped cows from frigid waters as floods hit British Columbia. After a month’s worth of rain in two days, the downpours triggered widespread flooding. Mudslides hit cities and towns across the province. Among the worst-affected […] Read more


Farmers and community members help to rescue stranded cattle from a farm at Abbotsford, B.C. on Nov. 16, 2021, after rainstorms caused flooding and landslides in the area. (Photo: Reuters/Jesse Winter)

Road closures mean disposal for B.C. milk

Dairy farmers in Kootenays can still move milk east to Alberta

Many of British Columbia’s dairy producers can expect to have to dump raw milk for the near future as highways and other roads are rendered impassable. The B.C. Milk Marketing Board on Tuesday said milk won’t be picked up until further notice in several areas where roads are closed and/or trucks can’t enter the Lower […] Read more



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Klassen: Feeder market continues downward slide

Prairies' snowstorm leads to risk discount

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were steady to $2 lower; calves traded $2-$4 below week-ago levels. Saskatchewan and Manitoba experienced their first major snowstorm of the season last week. The market tends to incorporate a risk discount for adverse weather as buyers factor in higher death loss. Also, major feedlot operators believe […] Read more

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

U.S. livestock: CME cattle firm, cash cattle supportive

Heavier slaughters weigh on hog futures

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures firmed on Monday, supported by tighter supplies of market-ready cattle that propped up cash prices last week, traders said. “In theory, the feedlots have a little more leverage, because there’s fewer cattle available for the packer to buy,” said Alan Brugler, president of Brugler Marketing. […] Read more