
Livestock

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle falls as cash market idles
Lower cash, pork prices drag on lean hogs
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures fell, pressured by a stagnant cash market and processing backups, traders said. CME December live cattle futures settled down 1.225 cents at 128.325 cents/lb. January feeder cattle futures eased 2.675 cents to end at 157.325 cents/lb. For the week, live cattle futures lost 2.35 cents, […] Read more

Boxed beef exports strong, non-fed cattle prices down sharply
The Markets with Deb McMillin, from the November 2021 issue of Canadian Cattlemen
Fed cattle Fed cattle prices are trading mostly sideways. As of mid-October, the fed steer cash average in Alberta had ranged from $156/ cwt to $158/cwt over the past seven weeks. The mid-October average is $156.81/cwt. Basis is still at a premium, with the spot basis at +$2.90/cwt, compared to a five-year average of -$1.84/cwt. […] Read more

Dealing with livestock stressors
From the Ground Up with Steve Kenyon
A happy cow is a healthy cow. I can’t remember the first time, but I have heard that saying many times over the years. On my ranch, I have found it very beneficial to keep the livestock as stress-free as possible. When we talk about animal stress, most people think about animal handling when processing […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs fall on sluggish export sales
Weaker exports drag on cattle also
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures fell for a third session on Thursday, pressured by weak export activity, traders said. CME December lean hog futures settled down 2.825 cents at 73.2 cents/lb., its biggest drop since Sept. 10 (all figures US$). CME February hogs ended down 2.55 cents at 76.675 cents/lb. […] Read more

Is this a good investment?
Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen
The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) projects featured in this column are funded by the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off. When the check-off increased a few years ago, the BCRC’s budget rose from around 15 cents to 67 cents per head marketed. This allowed us to start some new research programs. Now that we’re a few […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs down on technical selling, export worries
Chicago cattle futures up
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures fell on Wednesday on technical selling and fears that falling Chinese hog prices point to slowing export demand for U.S. pork, traders said. CME December lean hog futures settled down 1.375 cents at 76.025 cents/lb., after dipping to 75.925 cents and filling a gap on […] Read more

Study delves deeper into preconditioning calves
Researchers are exploring disease prevention, economics and performance benefits on feeder calves
Though the practice of preconditioning calves is relatively well known, not everyone agrees on the definition of the term. Confusion over what preconditioning entails may be partly to blame for reports of inconsistent returns on investment, says one researcher. “To me, it’s way more than just optimizing a vaccination protocol,” says Dr. Karin Orsel, veterinary […] Read more

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle down on technical selling, uncertain demand
Pork export concerns drag on hogs
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures ended lower for a second straight session on Tuesday, retreating from early strength on technical selling and uncertainty about consumer demand for meat, traders said. CME December live cattle futures settled 0.4 cent lower at 130.025 cents/lb., turning down after meeting technical resistance at its […] Read more

U.S. surgeons successfully test pig kidney transplant in human patient
New York | Reuters — For the first time, a pig kidney has been transplanted into a human without triggering immediate rejection by the recipient’s immune system, a potentially major advance that could eventually help alleviate a dire shortage of human organs for transplant. The procedure done at NYU Langone Health in New York City […] Read more

Developing the right cattle for profitable ranching
Whether you’re culling cows or selecting bulls, look for the animals that can perform in your environment
For too many years I was like most of you. I thought profitable ranching started with the cattle. Truly profitable ranching starts with the soil, moves through the plants to feed the animals and then finally we manage the animals to provide a good profit. We will talk about soil and plants in later articles, […] Read more