
Cow-calf

U.S. livestock: Hogs fall on profit-taking, cattle firm on bargain buying
Concerns for beef demand still drag on cattle futures
Chicago | Reuters — CME livestock futures were mixed on Tuesday, with hog contracts falling on a round of profit taking while cattle contracts firmed on bargain buying. The benchmark December lean hog contract faced pressure after hitting its highest since Sept. 13, 2019, while February live cattle, which had fallen for four days in […] Read more

The evolution of the Beef Cattle Research Council
Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen
This column usually features research projects funded by the BCRC. This month is a bit of a higher-level view of some of the BCRC’s other activities. Canada’s cattle and beef producers pay the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-off that supports the Beef Cattle Research Council, Canada Beef’s domestic and international marketing activities and the Canadian Cattlemen’s […] Read more

Nutrition 101 for replacement heifers
Six tips to create a nutrition plan to give replacement heifers the best start possible in your herd
Setting clear benchmarks is an ideal place to begin when creating your heifer development program. This is where Kristin Thompson, ruminant nutritionist for New Life Mills, begins when she works with cow-calf producers to develop nutrition programs for replacement females. Monitoring your heifers’ growth begins with knowing how much they need to gain by the […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hog futures mixed, cattle drop
Technical selling pulls cattle futures lower
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures were mixed on Monday, with the nearby contract rising on strong export demand while deferreds eased on signs that China was making progress in rebuilding its decimated hog herd, traders said. Strength in the cash market supported the front-month December contract, which rose 2.3 per cent and hit […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Lean hog futures retreat from 11-month high
Cattle futures down on beef demand uncertainty
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures ended lower on Friday on profit-taking and disappointment over export demand, after prices climbed to the highest level in 11 months. Strong domestic demand for pork continues to underpin hog futures, analysts said, with the most-active December contract surging 39 per cent on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Lean hog futures climb to more than 10-month high
Live cattle lower on new lockdown concerns for beef demand
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures on Thursday soared to their highest prices in more than 10 months, as meat demand continued to strain processor capacity and COVID-19 cases are rising in the United States, traders said. Thursday’s daily U.S. hog slaughter was 490,000 head — 2,000 fewer than the same period last […] Read more

Growth-promoting implants – the choice for cattle widens
Nutrition with John McKinnon
This article is destined for press in late September and as such will coincide with the 2020 fall run for both calves and yearlings. For those of you backgrounding or finishing, it is a time where you need to make decisions regarding the health and productivity of incoming cattle. In my last column, I looked […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Lean hogs up on lower-than-expected inventory
CME live cattle follow cash cattle lower
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures climbed on Wednesday as traders grappled with mounting confusion on lower-than-expected slaughter rates, traders said. Wednesday’s daily U.S. hog slaughter was 489,000 head — or 2,000 fewer than the same period last year, according to data published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. For the week to […] Read more

The health and safety shield of stockmanship
By making good stockmanship a regular practice, producers can reduce risk to themselves, their families and their workers
A standard of Canada’s manufacturing plants and production facilities is safety programs, work processes and procedures designed to keep equipment running and workers safe. Farms and ranches are not immune to accidents or incidents, nor to regulation and litigation, but continue to lag behind the modern world’s pursuit of this benchmark. “Health and safety roles […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures rebound on wholesale strength
Softening cash market drags on hog futures
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures rebounded on Tuesday, correcting after the biggest drop since June 30, amid a stronger wholesale market, traders said. Lean hogs stepped back for a second day, reflecting a softer cash market, while feeder cattle followed the cash market higher. Chicago Mercantile Exchange December live cattle futures added […] Read more