CME December 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hogs mostly down on weak margins, inflation worries

Beef packer margins in negative territory

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle and hog futures ended mostly lower on Thursday on eroding meat packer margins and as soaring inflation raises demand concerns, traders said. Technical selling and profit-taking further fueled declines in livestock futures after live cattle and lean hog contracts touched 2-1/2-week highs this week. A U.S. Labor […] Read more

Dave Pratt, past owner of Ranch Management Consultants, teaches a Ranching for Profit workshop at the Canadian Beef Industry Conference in Penticton, B.C.

Ranching for Profit challenges paradigms

This business management course draws repeat customers from the ranching community

In 2014, Brett McRae was looking for mentorship as he worked to grow his ranch, located near Brandon, Man. He was picked as a mentee for the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders Mentorship Program and told his mentor what he was looking to do with his ranch and how he wanted to expand and change. His […] Read more


CME October 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle mostly up with consumption forecast

Chicago lean hogs also up on day

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures ended mostly firmer on Wednesday as wholesale beef prices stabilized after a recent slide and as a monthly government report helped to temper concerns about waning consumption. Gains were capped by eroding beef packer margins, although cattle demand is likely to remain high this week […] Read more

An acceptable implant placement location. While a common recommendation is to place the implant in the middle third of the backside of the ear, RFID and management tags are frequently in the way in this location.

Five steps to good gains on grass and grains

Know the fundamentals of growth-promoting implants to find the right fit for your cattle

There’s a reason why the practice of implanting feedlot cattle is almost ubiquitous in Canada — it works. Growth-promoting implants substantially improve cattle feed efficiency and muscle deposition. Their economic effects are hugely positive, with savings ranging from $40 to $100 per head. There is even a case for using them as a tool to […] Read more


CME December 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle firm as packer margins turn negative

Lean hog futures settle lower

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures firmed on Tuesday as supplies tighten, with beef packer margins falling into the negative for the first time in years, traders said. Beef packers lost $14.35 per head on Tuesday, compared to earnings of $1.60 a day earlier and $18.40 the week before, according to […] Read more

The Ford’s show off their award-winning cattle.

Congratulations to the Ford family

Purely Purebred, news from the September 27, 2022 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Congratulations to the Ford family of Wheatley River Farm in P.E.I who won the Grand Champion male and female in the Angus division at Kent County Fair/Expo Kent held August 26. in Ste-Marie-de-Kent, N.B. This pair went on to be the Supreme winner at the show.


Pay attention to what the cows can tell you — they’re likely all carrying worms, but the ones that have a high body condition score probably aren’t carrying as many worms.

When the worms come marching in

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

Gastrointestinal parasites are an unavoidable fact of life. Cattle often consume parasitic worm larvae along with the forage they graze. The larvae take up residence in different parts of the digestive system, develop into adults and lay eggs. The eggs are deposited in the feces, where they hatch and release larvae. These larvae eventually leave […] Read more

CME December 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, brown and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hog futures firm on technical buying

Cattle futures close mostly lower

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures firmed for the second day in a row on Thursday, with technical buying supporting prices following the market’s bounce from a 10-month low on Wednesday, traders said. CME December lean hog futures settled up 1.275 cents at 77.775 cents/lb. (all figures US$). Front-month October hogs […] Read more


Degraded pastures or pastures converted to cropland offer more opportunity to increase soil carbon.

More grass, less gas, more money

Good grazing management pays dividends for both farmer and the environment

As Canada works to reach the goals set in its 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, many industries, including agriculture, are looking at ways to cut emissions, but discussed less often are measures to prevent them in the first place.  Alberta rancher and custom grazier Steve Kenyon is the lead grazing mentor in the Canadian Forage and […] Read more

CME October 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME hogs up off 10-month low on bargain-buying

Live cattle also up on technical buying

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures closed higher on Wednesday on bargain buying, a day after the benchmark December contract fell to a 10-month low, traders said. CME December lean hog futures settled up 2.075 cents at 76.5 cents/lb. (all figures US$). Front-month October hogs ended up 3.8 cents, at 90.8 […] Read more