CME April 2020 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle bounce after this week’s four-month lows

Plentiful hog supplies drag on futures

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed higher on Friday on bargain buying after the benchmark April contract fell to a 4-1/2-month low this week, with traders citing expectations for a seasonal pickup in beef demand, traders said. Benchmark April live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange settled up 1.8 cents at […] Read more

Alberta’s feedlot capacity has eroded since 2003.

Alberta beef industry calls for regulatory change

Policy: News Roundup from the February 2020 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

While the Alberta beef industry has been competitive relative to the U.S., regulations and costs imposed by all three levels of government could dampen that competitiveness in the future, according to a recent report commissioned by the Alberta Cattle Feeders Association and Alberta Beef Producers. The study focused on the beef industries in Kansas, Nebraska […] Read more


CME April 2020 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Lean hogs edge up on hopes for Chinese demand

April live cattle up on short-covering

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures rose modestly on Thursday on technical buying and hopes China will step up purchases of U.S. agricultural goods including pork as the U.S.-China Phase One trade deal takes effect, brokers said. Benchmark April lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange settled up 0.3 cent at 64.075 […] Read more

Landscape in the Qu’Appelle Valley, about 30 km. north of Regina, Sask. Consider location and logistics when deciding where to purchase land.

Don’t fall into a ditch when expanding your land base

Affordability, planning and flexibility are all key factors to consider before moving onto new pasture

For most beef producers — especially those grazing cattle on pasture — land is your gold. And chances are that at some point you’re going to want more of it. The problem is demand for land today is arguably higher than ever. Precision farming has enabled grain and oilseed producers to crop on pasture-worthy marginal […] Read more


CME April 2020 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle rise on broad commodity strength

Nearby hogs down on weak cash values

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed higher on Wednesday, bouncing off a four-month low on bargain buying along with broad-based strength in equity and commodity markets as fears subsided about the impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in China. The benchmark April live cattle futures contract on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) […] Read more

CME April 2020 live cattle with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle sag on weaker cash trade

Coronavirus jitters also rattle cattle markets

Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. live cattle futures fell on Tuesday, with the benchmark April contract touching its lowest since late September on falling cash cattle prices and worries about the impact of the coronavirus outbreak in China, traders said. Cash cattle traded lightly in Kansas and Nebraska at $119-$120 per cwt, traders said, down […] Read more





CME April 2020 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hogs limit up on Tyson comment, short-covering

Cattle futures follow hogs higher

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures surged their daily three-cent limit on Thursday after comments from a Tyson Foods executive about pork demand from China ignited a wave of buying including short-covering, traders said. Tyson is competing with other global companies to supply meat to China, the world’s largest pork consumer, as an […] Read more

Linking mental health and animal welfare

Linking mental health and animal welfare

As a veterinary social worker, Erin Wasson sees the effects of mental health struggles on people and their animals

Erin Wasson’s social work career started out fairly conventionally, as she worked with children, youth, the elderly and people with disabilities. But a decision to upgrade her education led her to a new field, working with people who care for animals. While completing a graduate degree, Wasson met the deans from the Western College of […] Read more