Livestock & Production Tips

(Gloria Solano-Aguilar photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. livestock: Hogs fall after contract highs on profit-taking

By Michael Hirtzer, GFM Network News November 20, 2018

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures tumbled three per cent on Tuesday, reversing after hitting contract highs as investors locked in profits ahead of Thursday’s U.S. Thanksgiving Day holiday, traders said. Hog futures had gained in eight out of the past nine sessions on hopes of stronger pork demand, especially in […] Read more

With proper supplements, straw can make a good winter ration.

Beef Cattle, Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock

Building beef cattle diets using some straw

Keeping cows properly fed while reducing costs

By Peter Vitti November 19, 2018

First came the drought, then through September and early October a foot of snow, a weekend of autumn and finally winter. Not exactly the best weather for harvesting good-quality forage and grain for most beef cattle. At least we had a return to good fall conditions by mid-October. Fortunately, what grain that was taken off […] Read more

Craig and Jinel Ference of Kirremuir Alta., have developed a large mixed-farming operation.

Livestock, News

Canada’s OYF: Alberta nominees

Craig and Jinel Ference relied on diversity to overcome challenges

By Geoff Geddes November 19, 2018

If you thought your career had a rocky start, imagine returning home to a cow-calf farm in 2003 and being greeted with the industry-changing BSE crisis. As it turns out, Craig and Jinel Ference, the Alberta winners of the Outstanding Young Farmer (OYF) award, don’t have to imagine it; they lived it. When they met […] Read more

CME February 2019 lean hogs, with 20-day moving average. (Barchart)

Livestock, Markets, Reuters

U.S. livestock: Hogs rise to contract highs on export optimism

By Michael Hirtzer, GFM Network News November 19, 2018

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures rose to life-of-contract highs on Monday, extending steep gains from last week on optimism for robust exports of U.S. pork due to the worsening African swine fever virus outbreak in China, traders said. China, the top world hog producer and pork consumer, has culled its swine herd […] Read more

Finishers, Livestock, Markets

Klassen: Softer demand causes feeder prices to weaken

By Jerry Klassen, GFM Network News November 19, 2018

Compared to last week, Alberta feeder cattle markets traded $4 to as much as $8 lower; however, Manitoba and Saskatchewan prices experienced a week-over-week decline of $3 to $5 on average. Demand from Eastern Canada appeared to limit slippage in the eastern Prairie regions but some of these markets also faltered late in the week. […] Read more

Tuberculosis bacteria under an electron microscope. (Janice Haney Carr photo courtesy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.))

Beef Cattle, Livestock

Bovine TB case turns up in southern B.C.

By GFM Network News November 19, 2018

Federal food safety officials are now looking into the life story of a slaughtered British Columbia beef cow confirmed with bovine tuberculosis. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Monday announced it has launched an investigation after a mature beef cow was confirmed Nov. 9 with bovine TB. The case comes a few months after the […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Forages, Livestock

Five tips for grazing corn this winter

By Beef Cattle Research Council November 16, 2018

Corn grazing is becoming more popular across Canada because producers can grow more biomass on less land. If you are planning on grazing corn this winter, here are five tips to help you make the most of the corn grazing season:

Dairy Cattle, Livestock

Parmalat to buy Kraft’s Ontario cheese plant, brands

By GFM Network News November 16, 2018

U.S. food processing giant Kraft Heinz is taking one step back from the Canadian dairy processing business with a deal to sell its eastern Ontario cheese plant and the brands made there. The company announced Nov. 6 it has a deal in hand to sell its Canadian “natural cheese” business and its cheese plant at […] Read more

Tyler MacNaughton and Sacha Bentall, OYF B.C. regional finalists, producing pasture-to-plate livestock.

Livestock, News

Canada’s OYF: British Columbia nominees

Tyler McNaughton and Sacha Bentall produce pasture-finished livestock

By Geoff Geddes November 15, 2018

Tyler McNaughton and Sacha Bentall aren’t afraid to try something different as they develop their farming operation in southeastern B.C. The winners of the B.C.’s regional finalists for the 2018 Outstanding Young Farmer (OYF) Award took on some different ag enterprises in an area long established as a beef-cattle ranching region. Despite expected start-up challenges […] Read more

CME February 2019 lean hogs, with 200-day moving average. (Barchart)

Livestock, Markets, Reuters

U.S. livestock: Hogs rise on technical buying, demand outlook

By GFM Network News November 15, 2018

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures firmed for a fourth straight session on Thursday, lifted by technical buying and good demand for pork, traders said. Persistent concerns about the spread of African swine fever in China, the world’s top hog and pork producer, also underpinned prices as forecasts for big global […] Read more

GFM Network News

U.S. livestock: Cattle fall sharply as Trump says he’s working to lower beef costs

Alberta Crop Report: Harvest reaches completion

U.S. grains: Corn, soybeans rise on yield uncertainty, firming cash markets

Livestock