Livestock & Production Tips

A small plastic cooler and sink drains make a handy and safe holder for materials when vaccinating cattle.

Simple ideas on the farm to help save time and money

Some tips for fencing, feeding and processing cattle 

By Sean McGrath May 2, 2019

I thought it might be interesting to share a few of the simple and hopefully good ideas that we have implemented on our place this year. Some are things I am sure folks are already doing, others might help someone or twig a new idea. I would encourage you to steal any of these that […] Read more

CME June 2019 lean hogs with Bollinger (20,2) bands, a gauge of market volatility. (Barchart)

Livestock, Markets, Reuters

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs mixed, nearbys up on export hopes

By GFM Network News May 2, 2019

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures ended mixed on Thursday, with nearby futures contracts building on strong gains in the previous session on expectations that China would soon sharply accelerate imports of U.S. pork. Deferred contracts were pressed down by active spread trading that featured buying of June futures and selling of October […] Read more

Livestock, Reuters

Maple Leaf quarterly profit misses estimates as costs rise

By Reuters, GFM Network News May 2, 2019

Reuters — Packaged meat producer Maple Leaf Foods reported a lower-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday, hit by higher costs as it invested more in new initiatives and capacity expansion. The company has been keen on expanding in the U.S., seeing growth opportunities in humanely raised animal products and alternative protein sources. In April, the company […] Read more

Hogs, Livestock, Markets, Reuters

Label problem caused China’s suspension of two pork shippers

By Rod Nickel, GFM Network News May 2, 2019

Winnipeg/Ottawa | Reuters — China’s suspension of two Canadian pork exporters’ permits was due to a labeling problem, Canada’s agriculture minister said, adding that she was hopeful of it being resolved. China’s action against two Canadian pork companies, announced by Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Wednesday, widened a diplomatic rift between the countries. On Thursday, […] Read more

CME June 2019 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

Livestock, Markets, Reuters

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs limit up on technical buying, export hopes

By GFM Network News May 1, 2019

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures rallied sharply on Wednesday with several contracts closing up the daily trading limit on technical buying and speculation that Chinese demand for U.S. pork is poised to grow. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is due to release weekly export sales data early on Thursday and traders […] Read more

Make sure cows have a good body condition score and aim for a 60-day breeding and calving season.

Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf

A short 60-day breeding season leads to profit

Produces a more uniform batch of calves and higher weaning weights

By Peter Vitti May 1, 2019

The calving season is well underway on the Prairies, with some cow-calf operations calving with snow on the ground, while others plan to calve on pasture. Regardless of the starting date, the length of the calving season is directly related to the length of the previous breeding season. Research shows moving toward a desirable 60-day […] Read more

CME June 2019 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

Livestock, Markets, Reuters

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle sink on fund liquidation, technical selling

By GFM Network News April 30, 2019

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures fell on Tuesday, with the actively traded June contract down for a seventh straight session, as fund long liquidation and technical selling pressured the market. Before the latest selloff in cattle began, commodity funds had built a record large net long position, and open interest in the […] Read more

Devin Dreeshen is sworn in on April 30, 2019 as Alberta’s agriculture minister; Premier Jason Kenney looks on. (Video screengrab from Government of Alberta via YouTube)

Crops, Livestock

Alberta UCP’s trade critic named ag minister

By GFM Network News April 30, 2019

Alberta’s new premier has tapped a not-quite-rookie MLA with experience in farming, farm policy and U.S. politics as his new minister of agriculture and forestry. Jason Kenney, sworn in Tuesday as premier, named Devin Dreeshen, the MLA for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake since last July, to handle the ag and forestry file. Dreeshen came to the UCP’s […] Read more

Finishers, Livestock, Markets

Klassen: Cash feeder market shrugs off lower futures

By Jerry Klassen, GFM Network News April 29, 2019

This past week, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle in the range of $270-$274 on a dressed basis, up $2-$4 from seven days earlier. Strength in the fed cattle market spilt over into the feeder complex as feeding margins moved into positive territory for the first time this year. Compared to last week, western Canadian […] Read more

Despite cold temperatures this newborn calf is up and nursing.

Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Calving season improved after a sad start

Eppich News: Extra attention was needed to get cattle through a cold February

By Heather Eppich April 29, 2019

February was cold! Temperatures were frigid and the wind was terrible. On Feb. 17 we bedded our corrals and sorted off our heifers to keep them up front where we could keep an eye on them. It was a good thing but for a different reason than we had in mind. On Feb.19 we doctored […] Read more

GFM Network News

U.S. livestock: Feeder cattle hit contract highs on tight supply

U.S. grains: Soybeans tumble on doubts over U.S.-China trade progress

Alberta harvest wrapping up: report

Livestock

Simple ideas on the farm to help save time and money

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs mixed, nearbys up on export hopes

Maple Leaf quarterly profit misses estimates as costs rise

Label problem caused China’s suspension of two pork shippers

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs limit up on technical buying, export hopes

A short 60-day breeding season leads to profit

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle sink on fund liquidation, technical selling

Alberta UCP’s trade critic named ag minister

Klassen: Cash feeder market shrugs off lower futures

Calving season improved after a sad start

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