A dairy cow takes a close look at a photographer.

The night we painted a Mountie green

Veterinary Case Study: While speeding to an emergency call, Dr. Ron Clarke recruits unexpected help

The day started with an overnight shower followed by a warm May sun. Cows and horses everywhere enjoyed new growth on year-old pastures. A panic call from a good dairy client at Balgonie interrupted supper. Mike, almost inarticulate, pleaded, “Doc, come right away. Two cows have died; another 15 are seriously bloated. I turned the […] Read more

(Kelli Jo/iStock/Getty Images)

Hog sector to focus on margins in face of outside volatility

'Counter-cyclical' moves seen in markets

MarketsFarm — The hog sector has found itself caught up in the general uncertainty of many commodity and financial markets — making it more difficult than normal to predict where values could be headed. “We’re seeing a ton of volatility and it feels like we’re in a bit of transition on supply versus expectations,” said […] Read more


CME August 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle tumble on worries of waning demand

Hogs up off recent lows

Chicago | Reuters — Concerns about red-hot U.S. inflation knocked down Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle and feeder cattle futures on Monday, as rising prices threaten beef demand, analysts said. Demand is most at risk for expensive steaks and other pricey cuts as some consumers shift to buying cheaper items, analysts said. U.S. consumer prices […] Read more

(Baxter Black video screen grab via YouTube)

U.S. cowboy poet and veterinarian Baxter Black, 77

Black appeared on Carson, NPR and in Grainews

U.S. cowboy poet, storyteller and veterinarian Baxter Black, whose work was a fixture for years in farm journals including Grainews, died Friday at age 77, his family reported. Born in New York in 1945, Black grew up in southern New Mexico and graduated from Colorado State University in 1969. He later relocated from Colorado to […] Read more


cow in a feedlot

Where are all these feeder cattle coming from?

Market Talk with Jerry Klassen

U.S. and western Canadian feeder cattle prices have been consolidating over the past month. Higher-quality medium-flesh steers averaging 850 pounds have been trading in the range of $180-$185 while 600-pound steers have been trading in the range of $220-$230. Earlier in winter, I and many other analysts were expecting placements into U.S. and Canadian feedlots […] Read more

(Diane Kuhl/iStock/Getty Images)

Dairy farmers seek mid-year increase on farmgate milk prices

CDC to seek stakeholder comment next week

The Canadian Dairy Commission will seek out feedback from industry stakeholders next week on Canadian dairy farmers’ request for a mid-year raise in farmgate milk prices. The CDC said June 2 it had received a request from Dairy Farmers of Canada for the increase “due to the current inflationary environment.” If it’s approved, and if […] Read more


CME August 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2) and 100-day moving average (black line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures down in turnaround from rallies

July lean hogs close higher

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures fell on Friday on profit-taking, a session after prices reached multi-week highs, brokers said. The market was due to pull back after climbing six per cent since dropping on May 31 to their lowest price since October, brokers said. Strong demand from packers for a […] Read more

File photo of raw and cooked ground beef. (Lime and Lemon Media photo via Canada Beef Inc.)

Beef sector calls for Health Canada label exception

The Canadian Cattlemen's Association wants ground beef exempted from proposed rules

The cattle sector is less than pleased by a Health Canada proposal that would put a ‘high saturated fat’ label on retail ground beef. The proposal is part of a suite of changes proposed for Canada’s Food and Drug Regulations. As well as adding a front-of-packaging (FOP) label requirement for foods deemed by Health Canada […] Read more


CME August 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures consolidate near peaks

Chicago hog futures fall

Chicago | Reuters — CME Group cattle futures stabilized near recent highs on Thursday, with strong cash markets and a round of speculative buying underpinning prices. Hog futures fell as the soybean futures market rallied to its highest in nearly 10 years, raising the prospect of higher feed costs. The U.S. Agriculture Department said on […] Read more

Vos uses temporary poly fencing for interior corridors so she can change configurations based on weather and growing conditions.

An unconventional start to a farming career

You can set aside any notion of ‘typical’ when it comes to this beef producer

Sandra Vos raises cattle in Brant County, Ont., in a way that works best for her and her land. Her story is both inspiring and thought-provoking when it comes to expanding the concept of who can be a participant in the business. Imagine taking on learning the ins and outs of raising cattle as a […] Read more