(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder cattle prices climbing

Western Canadian feeder cattle markets were trading $5-$7 above week-ago levels, with higher-quality cattle trading as much as $10 higher. It’s difficult to quarrel with one’s bread and butter; feedlot margins are now in positive territory and cattle feeders are keen on ownership with the positive outlook into the March timeframe. Feature presort calf sales […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures extend rally on packer demand

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle and hog futures extended gains to fresh multi-month highs on Friday, buoyed by technical buying and strong demand from beef and pork packers, traders said. Live cattle jumped more than one per cent at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, capping their fifth consecutive week of higher prices. Lean hog futures […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Hogs, cattle firm on pre-holiday technical buying

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures gained one per cent on Wednesday while live and feeder cattle each rose modestly, boosted by technical buying and good demand from meat packers ahead of Thursday’s U.S. Thanksgiving Day holiday, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange December lean hogs notched a two-month high, before finishing just below […] Read more

(Regis Lefebure photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. livestock: Hogs falter on profit-taking after two-month high

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures eased about one per cent on Tuesday as investors locked in profits after prices earlier climbed to the highest levels in more than two months, traders and analysts said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures were slightly higher and feeder cattle narrowly lower, in largely technically-driven trade ahead […] Read more





(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Strong cash prices boost CME live cattle

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures on Wednesday reached their highest level in two months, driven by fund buying and better-than-expected cash prices, said traders. December live cattle closed up 2.725 cents/lb. to 108.2 cents, and February ended 1.975 cents higher at 108.5 cents (all figures US$). On Wednesday packers paid […] Read more

(Regis Lefebure photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. livestock: Ample supplies drop hogs

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures on Tuesday fell for a third consecutive session, dragged down by weaker cash and wholesale pork prices amid abundant seasonal supplies, said traders. December closed down 0.775 cent/lb. to 46.125 cents, and February ended 0.7 cent/lb. lower at 52.9 cents (all figures US$). “There are […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle finish mostly firmer

Chicago | Reuters — Most Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts on Monday finished modestly higher after investors sold December futures and simultaneously bought deferred months in a trading strategy known as bear-spreading, traders said. December live cattle closed down 0.025 cent per pound at 105.575 cents (all figures US$). February ended up 0.225 cent […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle futures climb as cash price outlook improves

Chicago/Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures on Thursday gained for a third straight day, driven by short-covering following renewed optimism for cash prices by Friday, traders said. December and February contracts broke through their respective 10-day moving averages of 102.90 and 104.86 cents, which triggered fund buying. December live cattle closed 1.025 cents […] Read more