(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

Klassen: Strong beef prices spill over into feeder market

U.S. wholesale beef prices surged higher this past week as stronger retail and restaurant demand absorbed the larger beef stocks in storage. Alberta packers’ average purchase price was $202.50 and with pen break-even closeout prices near $188, the healthy margin structure renewed buying confidence in the feeder market. All weight categories experienced a stronger tone, […] Read more

calves and cattle in a feedlot

Do antimicrobial growth promoters for beef cattle really improve performance?

Ionophores (Rumensin, Bovatec, Posistac) are not medically important because the ionophores approved for use in cattle are not used in human medicine. Other antimicrobials used in livestock are medically important. Concerns around antimicrobial resistance in both human and veterinary medicine have led to increased scrutiny regarding how medically important antimicrobials are used in livestock production. […] Read more


(CMEGroup.com)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle, hogs close weak before Memorial Day

Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle closed moderately lower Friday on profit-taking and in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s monthly Cattle on Feed report earlier in the day, traders said. The number of cattle put into U.S. feedlots in April unexpectedly slowed compared with the same month last year. “It’s […] Read more

(Regis Lefebure photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle, hogs climb on short-covering

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle closed higher on Thursday on short-covering and futures’ discounts to cash prices, traders said. June closed up 1.025 cents per pound, to 152.375 cents, and August was 1.175 cents higher at 150.9 cents (all figures US$). This week, the bulk of market-ready (cash) cattle in the […] Read more



(Dave Bedard photo)

U.S. bill to repeal COOL advances

Washington | Reuters — U.S. legislation to repeal country-of-origin meat labelling (COOL) laws, which the World Trade Organization found discriminate against Mexico and Canada, passed a congressional committee on Wednesday and moved one step closer to becoming law. The House of Representatives’ agriculture committee approved the bill on a vote of 38-6, clearing the way […] Read more


lab research person

Comment: Get ready for antimicrobial resistance

The feds have a plan, but there's no quick fixes to AMR

AMR or antimicrobial resistance; the term certainly isn’t new, but it’s likely you will be hearing more about it now that Ottawa has released its Federal Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance and Use. Canada is also working toward endorsing a Global Action Plan by the World Health Assembly. In essence the federal government has started […] Read more

(CMEGroup.com)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle end pit trade lower, rise after-hours

Chicago | Reuters –– Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange finished lower during the regular session on Wednesday, pressured by cash cattle prices that were initially weak, traders said. But contracts turned higher in after-hours (electronic) trading as cash prices improved, they said. Pit-traded June live cattle closed 0.625 cent per pound lower […] Read more



(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle rally as beef prices set new high

Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures offset recent losses and finished higher on Tuesday, driven by short-covering following the day’s choice wholesale beef price surge to an all-time high, traders said. June closed up 0.4 cent per pound to 151.975 cents, and August was 0.575 cent higher at 150.6 cents (all […] Read more