
Beef Cattle

Klassen: Stronger barley prices limit upside for feeder cattle complex
Feedlot operators make barley purchases, price feeder cattle accordingly
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $2 higher to as much as $5 lower. A softer tone was noted on yearlings in the eastern Prairie regions. Calf prices were steady to $4 lower on average compared to seven days earlier. Quality yearling packages fresh off grass held value but backgrounded heavier replacements […] Read more

Parasite control in the feedlot
Strategic deworming methods to maximize product efficacy and cattle productivity
If there was a tool available for Canadian cattle feeders to improve both weight gain and disease resistance, what would it be worth to implement? What if that tool was as simple as deworming cattle on arrival? As simple as deworming is, not every feedyard opts to do it. Whether the perception is that feedlot […] Read more

When the worms come marching in
Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen
Gastrointestinal parasites are an unavoidable fact of life. Cattle often consume parasitic worm larvae along with the forage they graze. The larvae take up residence in different parts of the digestive system, develop into adults and lay eggs. The eggs are deposited in the feces, where they hatch and release larvae. These larvae eventually leave […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hog futures mixed; cattle futures steady-weak
Chicago | Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures ended mixed on Friday as traders waited for fresh news to gauge demand levels. The most-active CME December lean hog futures contract LHZ2 dropped 0.625 cent to 77.15 cents per lb, with support noted around the contract’s 10-day moving average. Front-month October hogs LHV2 rose 0.575 cents to settle […] Read more

CRSB asks for public input on proposed changes to framework
On October 4, the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) announced proposed changes to the standards for sustainable beef production and processing, which are part of the Certified Sustainable Beef Framework. Now, they are seeking input from the public on these changes. The framework was launched in 2017 to recognize sustainable practices in beef production, […] Read more

Klassen: Demand fears cause feeder cattle market volatility
Barley values continue upward
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $4 higher to as much as $6 lower. Strength was noted in the eastern Prairie regions while the market was softer in Alberta. Western Canadian calves were extremely volatile, trading $5 higher to as much as $10 lower in some cases. It’s not uncommon for markets […] Read more

Florida farmers scramble to reach cattle after Hurricane Ian
Chicago | Reuters — Farmers in Florida rushed to reach their cattle on Thursday after trees downed by Hurricane Ian broke fences used to contain the animals and rain from the fierce storm flooded fields used for grazing. One of the mightiest storms to hit the U.S. mainland in recent years, Ian flooded communities on […] Read more

Itchy cattle? It may not be lice
Everything from nutritional deficiencies to mites can trigger scratching in cattle
A spike in complaints about its product’s ineffectiveness against itchy cattle drove Solvet, a Canadian veterinary pharmaceutical firm, to investigate the potential causes and to look for relief. “This has become a bigger problem than it used to be,” says Dr. Denis Nagel, a consulting veterinarian with the company, as well as with Alberta Veterinary […] Read more

Good buyer demand pushes feeder cattle prices higher
The Markets with Deb McMillin, from the September 27, 2022 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
Fed cattle The Alberta fed cattle average set new highs each week as the market entered September. This contra-seasonal price pattern is a result of manageable summer supplies, solid demand and a softer Canadian dollar. It is encouraging to see beef demand and retail sales remain strong as consumers navigate inflation across North America. At […] Read more

Eliminating guesswork with an accurate chute-side BRD test
Researchers are working on a simple test that would detect the presence of three common BRD-causing bacteria
Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) has long been the most serious respiratory challenge facing the beef industry, causing half of all cattle deaths from disease in North America. Its identification in individual animals almost always comes after the bacterial infection has established itself, causing an antibiotic response to play from behind. During a networking event in […] Read more