CME February 2023 lean hogs with 20-day moving average (pink line) and CME cash lean hog index (blue line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hog futures up off two-month low

Live cattle, feeder cattle also gain

Chicago | Reuters — CME Group hog futures rallied on Friday, rebounding from a two-month low on a round of end-of-week bargain buying. Cattle futures also were firm despite concerns about waning demand, traders said. Cash market strength added support to both hogs and cattle. CME February lean hogs jumped 4.125 cents, to 85.775 cents/lb. […] Read more

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

U.S. livestock: Hog, cattle futures fall on poor demand outlook

Winter storms threaten some herds

Chicago | Reuters — CME Group cattle and hog futures weakened on Thursday, with traders expressing concerns about both domestic and export demand due to prospects for a softening global economy. The U.S. Agriculture Department (USDA) on Thursday morning said that weekly export sales of beef totaled 13,800 tonnes, down from 18,000 a week ago. […] Read more


If you suspect a cow in your herd has Johne’s disease, have your veterinarian collect fecal samples for testing as soon as possible.

Johne’s disease — not gone but often forgotten

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

Johne’s disease is sometimes compared to an iceberg — the visible cases are only a tiny fraction of the problem. The biggest part is hidden beneath the surface, particularly in the early stages of disease. In the silent stage, cattle that were infected as calves by a manure-contaminated udder, water or feed show no clinical […] Read more

CME December 2022 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: December live cattle down off 7-1/2-year high

Hogs down on export market concerns

Chicago | Reuters — CME Group live cattle futures dropped on a round of profit taking after the front-month contract rose to its highest since June 2015 early in the session. Concerns about a winter storm damaging herds in the U.S. Plains provided support to cattle futures overnight. While supply concerns dominated cattle futures trading, […] Read more


Edible mealworms in a wooden spoon

French insect-based ingredients maker Ynsect to expand in North America

U.S. plant would use Ardent Mills' flour milling byproducts

Paris | Reuters — French company Ynsect said on Tuesday it had signed deals to build insect ingredient production sites in the United States and in Mexico as the firm kicks off what it says will be the world’s largest insect farm. Ynsect breeds mealworms that produce proteins for aquaculture, livestock, pet food, fertilizers and […] Read more

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

U.S. livestock: Hog futures rise on short-covering

CME cattle futures also up

Chicago | Reuters — CME Group hog futures rose on Tuesday, snapping a streak of five straight losing sessions on some mild short-covering, traders said. Gains were kept in check by concerns that demand for pork during China’s Lunar New Year celebrations will be lighter than usual due to rising COVID-19 cases in the country. […] Read more


CME August 2023 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

Klassen: Stronger deferred live cattle support feeder market

Cow-calf operators seen hesitant to expand

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $2-$3 on either side of unchanged. Calf prices were mostly unchanged compared to seven days earlier; however, there were pockets where buyers reported prices up $2-$3 on average. The Alberta calf market appeared to stage a minor recovery after softening over the past month. Manitoba markets […] Read more

CME February 2023 lean hogs with 20-day moving average (pink line) and CME cash lean hog index (blue line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME February hogs hit two-month low

China COVID-19 concerns a factor; live cattle close higher

Chicago | Reuters — CME live hog futures fell to a two-month low on Monday, notching their fifth straight day of declines on concerns that Chinese pork consumption will fall during the country’s upcoming Lunar New Year celebrations, traders said. Cattle futures were firm, with strength in the cash market underpinning prices. Weakness in Chinese […] Read more


Graeme Finn’s pasture with alfalfa, Glenview sainfoin and cicer milkvetch, all legumes that help boost fertility.

Feeding cows for fertility

The right vitamin and mineral package, and high-quality forage, can boost a herd’s conception rate

The year is 1993 and Graeme Finn is saying goodbye to the blue skies and heat of Australia, replacing them with the gentle hills and crisp winters of Madden, Alta. Here, he starts a beef operation with his wife, Heather and their two daughters. With 2,800 acres of pasture rented, Finn is passionate about using […] Read more

CME February 2023 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle firm on cash resiliency

Lean hogs down on supply outlook

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange climbed on Friday, supported by resilient cash cattle prices across the U.S. Plains this week, traders said. “We had cash come right back,” said Joe Kooima, commodity broker at Kooima Kooima Varilek Trading Inc. “Cash was a dollar better in the south.” Cash […] Read more