Nov. 17 — According to CanFax, the number of feeder cattle placed in Alberta and Saskatchewan feedlots during January through October was 1.682 million head, which is down 5.3 per cent from 1.776 million head for the same timeframe in 2008. Canadian feeder cattle exports to the U.S. for the first 10 months of 2009 […] Read more
Klassen: Supplies weighing down feeder market
Klassen: Enthusiasm hits feeder market
NEW FEATURE: Jerry Klassen, an independent commodity trader well known to readers of Canadian Cattlemen and the Cattleman’s Corner section in Grainews for his analysis of the livestock markets, now brings a new weekly column on cattle markets to AGCanada.com and its affiliated sites. Nov. 9 — U.S. feeder prices are $3-$4 per hundredweight (cwt) […] Read more
MARKET TALK – for Nov. 9, 2009
Feeder cattle prices have been trending lower over the past month. Poor margins in the finishing feedlot along with slower exports of feeder cattle have set a negative tone. The Canadian dollar is expected to trend higher which will result in lower cash values. COOL has also decreased demand from south of the border, causing […] Read more
Klassen: Feeders higher on lower Canadian dollar
NEW FEATURE: Jerry Klassen, an independent commodity trader well known to readers of Canadian Cattlemen and the Cattleman’s Corner section in Grainews for his analysis of the livestock markets, now brings a new weekly column on cattle markets to AGCanada.com and its affiliated sites. Nov. 3 — Feeder cattle prices in Western Canada have been […] Read more
An Overview Of Feedlot Economics
We all remember the commodity meltdown last fall; cattle prices were not excluded as the overall economy moved into recession. While we like to think the worst is behind us, there are still many risks coming forward that will influence feedlot economics in the final quarter of 2009 and the first half of 2010. In […] Read more
MARKET TALK – for Oct. 5, 2009
The Canadian dollar has been quite volatile over the past year and look for this erratic action to continue. While the loonie sustained a decent rally from 77 to 94 cents U.S., the market has struggled to maintain the upward trend and appears to be moving into a consolidation pattern. This is not uncommon for […] Read more
MARKET TALK – for Sep. 7, 2009
I’ve had many inquiries over the past month in regards to managing the feeding margins for finishing feedlots. There is a formula known as the “cattle crush” which is similar to an oilseed processor. Grain companies and oilseed processors have the most sophisticated risk management programs and the idea can be used for a feedlot […] Read more
Feed Grains Update
Cash barley values in the Lethbridge area reached $195 in early July due to lower seeded acreage and adverse growing conditions in western Saskatchewan and Alberta. At the same time, U.S. corn prices have been trending lower as the Midwest experiences optimal weather for crop development. Earlier in spring, I mentioned the function of the […] Read more
Get Ready For Economic Expansion
The U.S. has gone through one of the worst recessions since the 1930s but there are signs that the economy is stabilizing. Consumer confidence appears to be improving which is a positive signal for beef demand. Unemployment numbers are also coming in better than expected as major layoffs come to an end. The U.S. housing […] Read more
Feed Grain Outlook
The cash barley market has been percolating higher in Western Canada over the past month. At the time of writing this article, barley prices in the Lethbridge area were quoted in the range of $164 to $168 delivered. The market is starting to focus on upcoming production for U. S. corn and Canadian barley. In […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
