Seasonal flu shots are recommended to help limit spread of flu viruses between people and livestock. (Inside Creative House/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

Another swine flu variant case appears in Manitoba

Variant of H3N2 confirmed in southern Manitoba resident

A single and apparently isolated case of another influenza variant normally seen in hogs has turned up in a Manitoba resident, the province announced Monday. Manitoba Public Health on Monday said the H3N2 influenza variant (H3N2v) seen in this case is related to flu viruses that circulate in pigs, noting that while such viruses don’t […] Read more

CME August 2021 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20- and 50-day moving averages (pink and brown lines) and August 2021 live cattle (red open/high/low/close). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hogs firm after five days of declines

CME August live cattle, feeder cattle up

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures firmed on Tuesday, with the front-month contract snapping a five-session losing streak on some mild bargain-buying and short-covering, traders said. But concerns about waning export demand for U.S. supplies from China and Mexico kept the gains in check and hog futures remained near two-month lows. Mexico blocked […] Read more


Cattle oilers are effective for controlling parasites, but only use insecticide for a limited time during the season — long enough to control the pest, but short enough to reduce risk of insecticide resistance.

Timing is key for effective use of cattle oilers

Animal Health with Roy Lewis: There is a recommended window for when control products should be used

In light of the ever-increasing issues with lice and flies affecting production in our beef herds on summer pasture, it’s a good time to review cattle oiler pros and cons and suggest a bit on maintenance and a few tips for better utilization of oilers in the battle against these two underestimated parasites. Cattle oilers […] Read more

CME October 2021 feeder cattle (candlesticks) with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

Klassen: Feeder market percolating higher

Weakness in feeder futures seen as temporary hiccup

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were $1-$4 higher on average; calves were steady to $2 higher. Limited volume of calves under 600 lbs. made the market hard to define; however, strong demand was surfacing across all weight categories. The weaker Canadian dollar, along with stronger live cattle futures, set a positive tone. […] Read more


CME August 2021 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20- and 50-day moving averages (pink and brown lines) and August 2021 live cattle (red line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hogs drop on weaker pork, falling prices in China

Live cattle down with cash beef prices; feeder cattle up as corn eases

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures fell sharply on Monday, continuing a retreat from multi-year highs set earlier this month as cash pork prices dropped and worries increased about Chinese import demand for U.S. pork. Technical selling and profit-taking have sped the multi-session decline after the actively traded Chicago Mercantile Exchange August lean […] Read more

CME August 2021 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (dark red line), CME July 2021 lean hogs (pink open/high/low/close) and CME lean hog index (black line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle up on bargain-buying

CME lean hogs mostly lower; feeder cattle down on corn's bounce

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures firmed on bargain-buying on Friday after a steep plunge a day earlier, with expectations of steady to higher cash cattle prices next week adding support, traders said. “The market is chopping around but it looks like it needs to go back to the upside to price in […] Read more


Lisa Thompson. (Lisathompsonmpp.ca video screengrab via YouTube)

Ontario names new ag minister in shuffle

Lisa Thompson replaces Ernie Hardeman

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has drawn another aggie from his existing cabinet to replace Ernie Hardeman as his agriculture minister. Ford on Friday announced a major cabinet shuffle, dropping Hardeman, the long-time MPP for Oxford, from the cabinet table and naming Lisa Thompson as minister for agriculture, food and rural affairs. Thompson, who until Friday […] Read more

CME August 2021 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, brown and black lines) and August 2021 live cattle (dark red open/high/low/close). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hogs limit down for second consecutive day

CME August cattle end lower

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) lean hog futures fell by an exchange-imposed limit for a second consecutive session on Thursday as commodities declined broadly. Selling by index funds fueled losses in markets from hogs to cattle and corn, after the U.S. Federal Reserve signaled it might raise interest rates sooner than expected, […] Read more


A Pizza Pizza storefront in Winnipeg in 2013. (File photo by Dave Bedard)

Blue Cow comes to Pizza Pizza

Dairy Farmers of Canada branding to go on display

Pizza Pizza is the latest brand to sport Dairy Farmers of Canada’s “Blue Cow” certification-of-origin mark in its marketing, putting an old fight over the pizza chain’s cheese provenance to rest. DFC and Toronto-based, TSX-traded Pizza Pizza — which as of March 31 included 622 Pizza Pizza and 103 Pizza 73 outlets across eight provinces […] Read more

CME August 2021 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20- and 100-day moving averages (pink and black lines) and August 2021 live cattle (dark red line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hogs limit down on new China stats

Live cattle futures up with cash values

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) lean hog futures fell their daily three-U.S.-cent limit on Wednesday, pressured by falling U.S. wholesale prices for pork products and news of increasing hog numbers in China, traders said. China’s pig herd rose 23.5 per cent in May from a year earlier, state media said on Wednesday, […] Read more