The Wray family.

CCA reports: Wray Ranch receives TESA, improvements to BRM programs in the works

From the September 2023 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Uncertainty is often the common thread that unites us, and this summer is no different with adverse weather hitting cattle producers across the country. Perseverance and hard work are not new to us, but sometimes we need support to get through the tough times. This was a message I carried with me to the federal, […] Read more

CME December 2023 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: December hogs limit-down on pork prices, macroeconomic fears

Cattle futures follow hogs, equities lower

Chicago | Reuters — Lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange tumbled on Thursday as a drop in wholesale pork prices coupled with worries about the global economy sparked a round of profit-taking, analysts said. Livestock futures, grains and Wall Street equity markets all declined on Thursday as the U.S. dollar set a six-month […] Read more


CME December 2023 live cattle with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle end firm, consolidate below recent highs

Hogs up on discount to cash price index

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed higher on Wednesday as the market consolidated just below life-of-contract highs touched a day earlier. Tightening U.S. cattle supplies remain a supportive backdrop to the market, but fresh bullish news was lacking, traders said. Wholesale beef prices fell, extending a seasonal slide dating from […] Read more

CME October 2023 lean hogs with 10-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Chicago hogs turn upward

Cattle futures down on day

Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) lean hog futures turned solidly upward Tuesday, a day after most trading months except October booked declines. October lean hogs closed Tuesday at 84.85 cents/lb., up 1.6 cents from Monday, while December closed at 76.25 cents, up 1.825 cents on the day (all figures US$). October hogs had dipped below 82 […] Read more


Colby Hollman took home Supreme Purebred Champion Female with DL Jen-Ty Hot Stuff 550H with her heifer calf BNHC Hot Damn 2L at side.

Junior Gelbvieh members gather in Swift Current

Purely Purebred, news from the September 2023 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

The Canadian National Junior Gelbvieh show was held in Swift Current, Sask., from July 27-29. Fifty-one juniors participated in a range of activities and showed 70 head of Gelbvieh and Gelbvieh-influenced cattle. Activities included Cow Camp for the five and under participants, team grooming, “Talkin’ the Block”, 3-D art displays, “Keep and Cull” judging, showmanship, […] Read more

Livestock nutritionist John McKinnon examines three scenarios at how byproduct feeds can be used in cattle feeding programs.

Using byproduct feeds to influence profitability of backgrounded calves

Nutrition with John McKinnon

In my last column, I wrote about some of the challenges facing producers who background cattle, both from a marketing and production perspective. Concerning marketing, emphasis was placed on differences between custom and owner-operated businesses. From a production perspective, both knowledge of cost of production and identifying goals of the nutrition program were stressed. Concerning […] Read more


CME April 2024 live cattle with 20- and 50-day moving averages. (Barchart)

Klassen: Stronger live cattle futures enhance feeder demand

Feeder cattle supplies look to be lower than anticipated

Compared to last week, western Canadian grass yearling prices were unchanged to $3/cwt lower on average. Steers held value but heifers had a softer tone. Calf prices were relatively unchanged from seven days earlier. However, weaker barley prices and stronger deferred live cattle prices limited any slippage. The calf market continues to be in price […] Read more

CME October 2023 live cattle, with December 2023 live cattle (dark red O/H/L/C). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle touch contract highs on cash prices, tight supplies

Lean hogs mixed in technical trading

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures scaled to life-of-contract highs on Friday on firmer cash market prices and tight supplies of market-ready animals, traders said. Feeder cattle futures also posted contract highs across the board, drawing additional support from weaker feed corn prices. Feedlot cattle in the central and southern U.S. […] Read more


Canadian fed cattle supplies tighten, herd liquidation continues

Canadian fed cattle supplies tighten, herd liquidation continues

The Markets with Deb McMillin, from the September 26, 2023 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Fed cattle The fed cattle market leading up to the Labour Day weekend saw some seasonal pressure. Demand softens towards summer’s end and typically longer-fed, heavier cattle are moving through the system. August ended with an average of $231.76/cwt, which is just six per cent behind the 2023 annual high. The last two weeks of […] Read more

Producers vaccinating calves before weaning.

The economics of preconditioning

Why aren’t more producers preconditioning calves? Kathy Larson dives into the research

Does preconditioning your calves pay? It has been a long-studied and debated topic. When it comes to preconditioning cattle, “every operation is different,” says Kathy Larson, research associate for the department of agricultural and resource economics at the University of Saskatchewan. Larson says there is opportunity for profit in preconditioning every year but it’s variable. […] Read more