Photo: ARS/USDA

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs dip as seasonal pressures mount

Live cattle futures eased slightly as cash trade remains light

Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures fell for a third session on Wednesday, as seasonal pressure mixed with weaker pork prices, analysts said. “This time of year for October hogs, it’s tough to know which direction to go in,” said Joe Kooima, commodity broker at Kooima Kooima Varilek Trading Inc, noting […] Read more

CME October 2023 live cattle with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle ease, heat impacts in focus

Seasonal hog supplies pressure futures

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures eased on Tuesday after two sessions higher, as traders watch to see the impact of sweltering temperatures on slaughter-ready cattle, analysts said. “The heat does hurt the weights. That’s been an issue for a lot of the south, for a lot of the summer,” said […] Read more


CME October 2023 live cattle with 20- and 50-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle climb on fewer feedlot placements

Lean hog futures down with cash prices

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures firmed for a second session on Monday, supported by a bigger-than-expected drop in cattle placements in July, reported after market close on Friday. “In terms of slaughter ready cattle, we’re still relatively tight,” said Austin Schroeder, analyst at Brugler Marketing. In the U.S. Department of […] Read more

CME October 2023 live cattle with 10-, 20- and 50-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle recover from six-week low

U.S. cattle-on-feed data seen as supportive

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures ended higher on Friday after dropping to a six-week low, as traders adjusted positions before a government report showed lower-than-expected placements in U.S. feedlots last month. The data, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued after trading ended, should further support cattle futures next […] Read more


CME October 2023 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 75-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: October live cattle futures lowest since July

October hogs up almost a cent

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures ended lower on Thursday, with the most-active contract hitting its lowest price since July, as the market continued to retreat from recent highs. Futures and cash prices have jumped this year after drought reduced the amount of pastures available for grazing and prompted U.S. cattle […] Read more



CME October 2023 live cattle with 20- and 50-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle set two-week low

Lean hogs touch June low

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures stumbled to their lowest level in more than two weeks on Wednesday, while lean hogs hit their lowest price since June. Drought prompted U.S. cattle producers to reduce their herds since last year by driving up feed costs and reducing the amount of pasture available […] Read more

CME October 2023 lean hogs with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Technical selling extends setback in CME lean hogs

Live cattle futures generally sideways

Chicago | Reuters — Chart-based selling drove Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures lower on Tuesday, brokers said, as the market extended a recent setback. Most-active October lean hog futures fell 0.95 cent, or 1.2 per cent, to settle at 78.2 cents/lb. and touched their lowest price since July 3 (all figures US$). The contract […] Read more


It is important to keep a close eye on both bulls and cows, particularly during the breeding season to ensure that lameness isn't affecting breeding performance.

Keep foot rot locked out of the breeding season

Manage high-risk conditions and be prepared to treat as needed

Most cow herds have been grazing green pastures for the last few months. Many are still in the midst of the breeding season, and I believe just by sheer probability that most producers have already successfully treated one or two cases of foot rot. To me, that’s a good thing, because lame cows and bulls […] Read more