(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Higher feed grain prices continue to pressure feeders

Compared to mid-December, western Canadian yearlings traded $3-$5 lower; mid-weight calves are down $4-$6 while calves under 550 lbs. remained firm. Buyers exhibited a defensive tone on heavier yearlings and discounts were more severe on fleshier cattle last week. There is absolutely no risk appetite for 850-plus-lb. cattle at this time of year. Demand for […] Read more

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

U.S. livestock: Live cattle sink on profit-taking, technical selling

Lean hogs, feeder cattle mixed

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures fell on Monday in a profit-taking and technical-selling setback amid concerns about weaker demand for cattle and beef, traders said. Position rolling by funds, as they closed out long positions in the spot month and bought deferred contracts on the second day of the five-session “Goldman roll” period, […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Cattle set-aside programs winding down

Final enrolment deadlines set for Saskatchewan, Alberta programs

AgriRecovery programs set up in Saskatchewan and Alberta to help cover feed costs for cattle producers unable to ship livestock to slaughter are gearing down, while Ontario’s program begins a third intake. Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp. announced Friday that the province’s AgriRecovery set-aside program will end March 31, 2021, with Jan. 19 now set as […] Read more

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

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures drift lower on technical selling

Back months in hogs, cattle draw speculators' interest

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures closed lower on Friday on light technical selling, with the spot February contract pressured as speculators rolled long positions into forward months, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) February live cattle futures settled down 0.5 cent at 114.475 cents/lb. (all figures US$). Friday was the first day of […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: Live cattle end mixed, feeders firm

Cattle take cues from pause in corn rally

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures closed narrowly mixed on Thursday with the spot February contract drifting lower in rangebound trade, awaiting direction from cash markets, while back months firmed on optimism about the U.S. economy, traders said. Feeder cattle futures rose as prices for corn, the main feed grain for cattle, retreated from […] Read more

Cattle outlook brightens for 2021

Cattle outlook brightens for 2021

Feeder market influenced by lower overall supplies

During mid-December, Lethbridge-area feedlots were selling fed cattle in the range of $138 to $140, up $2 to $4 from 30 days earlier. While Canadian feedlot operators are contending with a backlog of market-ready supplies, cattle on feed 150 days and longer are actually below year-ago levels south of the border. The USDA lowered its […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: Lean hogs trim as packers work through holiday backlogs

CME cattle futures pressured lower

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures fell on Wednesday as packers work through backlogs caused by holiday shutdowns, analysts said. Daily hog slaughter regained from holiday pace, with 495,000 head processed compared to 472,000 head the week prior, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data, but was still short of prior year pace. […] Read more

CME February 2021 live cattle with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle rally on fund-driven buying

CME lean hogs end narrowly mixed

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures rose two per cent on Tuesday, bouncing back from a sell-off a day earlier, lifted by speculative buying and broad strength in commodities as investors seek a hedge against inflation, analysts said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) February live cattle futures settled up 2.75 cents at 115.05 cents/lb. […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder cattle prices digesting uncertainty

Defensive tone likely through January

The feeder cattle market was very quiet during the last week of December with auction barns in holiday mode. There were discussions regarding direct sales but no actual business was confirmed. The stakes are too high given the market uncertainty; a defensive tone will likely continue throughout January. Feed grains continue to percolate higher; the […] Read more

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

U.S. livestock: Live cattle sag as Wall Street retreats, grain prices rise

Wholesale ham prices supportive for hogs

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures fell more than two per cent on Monday, pressured by ample beef supplies and fund-driven selling as Wall Street equities declined, analysts said. Feeder cattle futures fell even harder, dropping by three per cent as U.S. corn futures rose to almost $5 a bushel for the first […] Read more