(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Tenacious feeder market softens on supply forecasts

Western Canadian feeder cattle prices traded steady to as much as $5 lower over the past week. Early in the week, buyers incorporated a risk discount due to the extremely cold temperatures, especially in the Eastern prairie regions. By Thursday, markets were factoring in the larger beef supply forecasts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle brace for possible weak cash prices

Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures sagged on Monday in advance of potentially lower cash prices this week as packers attempt to recover lost profits, said traders. February live cattle closed down 0.475 cent/lb. at 115.925 cents, and April was 0.625 cent lower at 112.525 cents (all figures US$). Monday’s average […] Read more



Short-term gains, long-term pains

The market still needs to discourage beef production — and that hurts

Fed and feeder cattle prices have been percolating higher recently as the markets adjust to lower-than-expected first-quarter beef production. Alberta fed cattle prices have been hovering in the range of $162 to $165, which is approximately $25 above break-even pen closeout values. Healthy feedlot margins allowed feedlots to bid up feeder cattle prices. Larger-frame steers […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle end firmer

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures settled higher on Thursday, helped by technical buying and this week’s steady-to-firmer cash prices, said traders and analysts. They said the prospect of increased supplies capped back-month futures advances. February live cattle closed 0.875 cent/lb. higher at 117.65 cents, and above the 40-day moving average […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Initial cash prices drop CME live cattle

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures finished lower on Wednesday, pressured by softer wholesale beef values and some preliminary cash prices that fell short of expectations, traders said. They said sell stops and fund liquidation compounded market losses. February live cattle closed 0.9 cent/lb. lower at 116.775 cents, and April 1.75 […] Read more





(USDA.gov via Flickr)

Klassen: Feeder cattle markets digest USDA inventory report

Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $5 higher to as much as $10 lower compared to week-ago levels. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Cattle on Feed report, along with U.S. inventory data, confirmed larger beef supplies in upcoming months, which set a negative sentiment amongst feedlot operators. Auction markets experienced variable price ranges on similar-weight […] Read more

(Regis Lefebure photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. livestock: Hogs extend gains on packer demand

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures extended gains to a fresh seven-month high on Thursday, lifted by strong pork packer demand, while cattle futures also climbed in a short-covering rebound from Wednesday’s multiweek lows, traders and analysts said. Traders continued to bull-spread Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hogs, with the front-month February contract hitting […] Read more