Under the new regulations, only “tag dealers” will be allowed to sell RFID tags, meaning producers won’t be able to sell their unused tags.

Cattle sector weighs in on new traceability regulations

While some changes are seen as practical and positive, industry officials are concerned about others that could add complications and cost

It’s 2003, and a crisis is descending on the Canadian cattle herd. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) has just been found in a black Angus cow in Alberta. Chaos follows: borders slam shut and the government pledges millions in aid. The border to the United States will remain shuttered until 2005, when it opens for young […] Read more

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

U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures ease in technical setback after highs

Nearby lean hogs also down on technical selling

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live and feeder cattle futures retreated on Wednesday in a technical selling and profit-taking setback after hitting highs earlier in the week, traders said. Higher feed corn prices and a weak tone to the cash beef market added pressure, they said. “This is technical after feeder cattle hit […] Read more



Photo: Canada Beef

Klassen: Feeder market continues to consolidate

U.S. feeder cattle supplies seen tighter than expected

Compared to last week, western Canadian grass yearling prices were relatively unchanged. Yearlings over 800 lbs. on light grain rations or on diets mixed with silage were priced at $5 to as much as $20 discount to those cattle coming straight off pasture. Larger groups of uniform quality continue to trade at a minor premium […] Read more


CME October 2023 live cattle with 20-day moving average and December 2023 live cattle (dark red line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures end mixed after hitting new highs

CME lean hogs mostly higher

Chicago | Reuters — Most of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange feeder and live cattle futures hit new contract highs again on Tuesday, as tight U.S. supplies and forecast of a strong cash market added fuel to a bull rally, traders said. But by the end of the session, both live and feeder cattle futures were […] Read more

Cull bulls in a feedlot. Pain mitigation has become standard practice when castrating older animals, and researchers are looking at whether it reduces disease in other stressful situations.

Research into pain management and animal health

North American researchers are studying how pain mitigation affects the health and performance of calves, as well as the economics

Castration, and to a lesser extent dehorning, are routine and necessary procedures on cattle farms, ranches and feedlots across the nation. These stressful events deliver varying levels of concentrated pain to their recipients which fade over time but in doing so, also create extended ripples of influences throughout an animal’s life. Dr. Michael Jelinski of […] Read more


Water flows through a washed-out culvert on the CN rail mainline at Truro, N.S. on July 23, 2023. (Photo: Nigel Gloade/Millbrook First Nations/Handout via Reuters)

Nova Scotia farmers granted late AgriStability entry

Enrolment for 2023 now an option until Dec. 31, 2024

Nova Scotia farmers who aren’t in on AgriStability for 2023 and whose operations were hit hard by weather events this spring and/or summer now have until the end of next year to enroll. The Nova Scotia and federal governments on Friday announced enrolment for the ag income stabilization program, which ended on April 30, has […] Read more

A chicken salad featuring Upside Foods’ cell-cultivated meat. (UpsideFoods.com)

Lab-grown meat can be kosher and halal, experts say

Opinions seen as guidance for future products

Reuters — Lab-grown meat can be labeled kosher and halal as long as its cells are derived in methods compliant with religious standards, according to two panels of experts commissioned by the nascent industry. The opinions are a win for cell-cultivated meat companies, executives said, because it means observant followers of Judaism and Islam could […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: CME feeder cattle, deferred live cattle hit new highs

October lean hogs also close higher

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. feeder cattle futures and deferred live cattle futures hit new contract highs on Monday, as tight U.S. supplies going into next year continued to fuel the bull market, traders said. Even Chicago Mercantile Exchange’s October and December live cattle futures surged within $1 of their contract highs, fueled by optimism […] Read more

It’s important to keep vaccines at the right temperatures.

Quick tips when using livestock vaccines

Veterinary Case Study: From using the right needle size to cleaning syringes, here’s how to do vaccination right

Roper Roy arrived in our practice area last spring. He followed a young lady home from a horse training school in west Texas. Now married, it looked like Roper fell into a sizeable chunk of a prosperous ranching and farming operation. He came to town for supplies for their branding next weekend. While he waited, […] Read more