(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

U.S. livestock: Brisk beef demand pushes CME live cattle higher

Chicago | Reuters –– Most Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts rose on Wednesday, driven by upward-trending wholesale beef values that may underpin prices for market-ready, or cash, cattle by Friday, traders said. Thinly-traded spot February, which will expire on Feb. 29, closed down 0.025 cent/lb. to 136.975 cents (all figures US$). April ended 0.65 […] Read more




(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle move higher with beef prices

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts settled higher on Monday, buoyed by the morning’s wholesale beef price turnaround, traders said. Buy stops and fund buying contributed to CME live cattle futures advances, they said. February closed 1.05 cents/lb. higher at 136.425 (all figures US$). April ended at 134.625 cents, up 0.675 […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle close mostly weak before USDA report

Chicago | Reuters — Most Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts settled lower on Friday, after investors tweaked positions ahead of the afternoon’s U.S. Department of Agriculture’s monthly Cattle on Feed report at 2 p.m. CT, traders said. February closed up 0.225 cent/lb. to 135.375 cents, April ended 0.425 cent lower at 133.95 cents and […] Read more




(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Lower fed cattle market pressures feeders

Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were trading $5-$10 below week-ago levels on average last week. Fully weaned vaccinated calves were trading down $5-$8 while semi-weaned bawlers were down a solid $10. Shorter-keep replacements over 850 lbs. were down $8-$12 depending on flesh levels but harder-looking cattle were down sharply, as much as $15. Extremely cold […] Read more