(Olymel video screengrab via YouTube)

Olymel to close Red Deer hog plant against COVID-19

Hog deliveries suspended 'until further notice'

Meat packer Olymel plans to temporarily close its hog slaughter and pork processing plant at Red Deer, Alta., winding down that facility’s operations starting this week against a rapidly spreading COVID-19 outbreak among workers. The plant, one of Canada’s largest by slaughter capacity at over 45,000 hogs per week, has notified its hog suppliers and […] Read more

(WPohlDesign/iStock/Getty Images)

Klassen: Cold weather slows feeder cattle market activity

Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle prices were relatively unchanged. Extreme temperatures blanketed Western Canada last week. Many auction barns cancelled sales or had limited numbers on offer. Buyers attended sales either in person or via the internet, which was supportive to the overall price structure. Many backgrounders and cow-calf producers delayed sales […] Read more



CME April 2021 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hogs rise to four-month high on supply woes

February live cattle down, April up

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures rose for the seventh time in eight sessions on Thursday, hitting a four-month high on concerns about tight supplies, traders said. “There are a lot of empty barns out here,” Don Roose, president of U.S. Commodities in West Des Moines, Iowa said. Live cattle futures were mixed, with […] Read more



CME April 2021 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle down on profit taking

Cash markets support CME lean hogs

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures dropped on a profit-taking setback on Wednesday, a day after rallying to their highest in nearly a year, but worries about a cold snap across production regions of the Plains kept declines in check. Hog futures rebounded after closing mixed on Tuesday as strong cash markets led […] Read more


Prep heifers for breeding and calving

Prep heifers for breeding and calving

Bred or unbred, these animals need energy to grow

Many producers are retaining more replacement heifers than in previous years. There are many good reasons to do so, but if so they should assure that unbred replacements are receiving adequate midwinter nutrition in order to be ready for breeding in the spring and ready to give birth to their first healthy calf. Given that […] Read more

CME April 2021 lean hogs with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs end mixed after five-session rally

Feeder cattle up on corn supply projection

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures ended mixed on Tuesday following five straight sessions of contract highs that triggered technical and speculative selling and profit taking in some futures months. The market, however, remained underpinned by strong cash hog prices, robust export demand and profitable pork packer margins, as well as Tuesday’s downturn […] Read more


It is important to make sure newborn calf is “accepted” and gets proper feed of colostrum.

Tips for a healthy calving season

Animal Health with Roy Lewis: All players should share ideas of what works and what doesn’t

Spring calving season is close upon us and every year after the fact, there are always some things we would do differently. Calving is a humbling experience, even for veterans. I am sure you all have some words of wisdom to share, and I am all ears. We can all learn from each other, and […] Read more

(Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Avian flu insurance plan backed for Ontario turkeys

New plan to be mandatory for turkey farmers

Ontario’s turkey producer organization will get federal support to help set up a new mandatory insurance plan to cover costs incurred in any future outbreaks of avian influenza. Southern Ontario MPs Neil Ellis and Tim Louis on Monday announced up to $559,285 in federal funding through the AgriRisk Initiatives: Administrative Capacity Building stream for Turkey […] Read more