CME October 2021 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, brown and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle end mixed, hogs lower

Futures under pressure as equity markets slump

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures ended mixed on Monday as late-session bargain buying only partly offset pressure from adequate cattle supplies and global economic concerns that threatened to blunt demand for beef. “The cattle market can’t seem to catch a break. Boxed beef has been trending down and there are […] Read more

An information label is seen on packaging for a CO2 cylinder for a fizzy drinks machine in Manchester, Britain on Sept. 20, 2021. (Photo: Reuters)/Phil Noble)

U.K. meat industry warns of threat to supplies from CO2 crisis

CO2 shortage is caused by closure of fertilizer plants

London | Reuters — Some of Britain’s meat processors will run out of carbon dioxide (CO2) within five days, forcing them to halt production and impacting supplies to food retailers, the head of the industry’s lobby group warned on Monday. A jump in gas prices has forced several domestic energy suppliers out of business and […] Read more


CME December 2021 lean hogs (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2) and CME cash lean hog index (grey line, left column). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME hogs extend gains in recovery from slide

Cattle futures follow boxed beef lower

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures on Friday extended a rebound from a selloff that dragged the market to its lowest prices since February this week, while cattle futures sagged. The hog market was due for a correction to the upside after the most-active December contract fell 13.5 per cent from […] Read more

(Olymel video screengrab via YouTube)

Olymel to close former F. Menard bacon plant

Pork further-processing plant at Henryville to shut in November

Meat packer Olymel plans to shut a pork further-processing plant it operates in Quebec’s Monteregie by mid-November and pick up the work at its other sites. Olymel, the meats arm of Sollio Co-operative, said Wednesday it will permanently close the bacon plant at Henryville, about 60 km southeast of Montreal, effective Nov. 12. The closure […] Read more


CME December 2021 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, brown and dark red lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hog futures rise from February low

December live cattle close lower

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures climbed on Thursday, as the market recovered from a decline to its lowest prices since February. Technical buying helped support prices, while concerns about waning U.S. pork exports continue to hang over the market, analysts said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported 2021 export sales […] Read more

CME December 2021 lean hogs (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Nearby hogs up in rebound off six-month low

CME cattle futures slide

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures ended higher in nearby contract months on Wednesday, as the market rebounded from a drop to its lowest prices in more than six months. Most-active December hogs recovered after dropping 12.5 per cent since the start of the month on concerns about slowing U.S. pork […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Lower beef production supports cash feeder market

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were relatively unchanged; calf prices traded $2 on either side of week-ago levels. December and February live cattle futures have dropped $8-$10 off the highs while feed grain values have remained firm. Buyers were on the defensive this past week, given the softer outlook for fed cattle […] Read more

Creativity needed to address veterinarian shortage

Creativity needed to address veterinarian shortage

As demand grows for veterinarians, stagnant graduation rates and steep competition from urban areas have left many rural practices in a crunch

Working in a rural community as a large animal veterinarian always made perfect sense to Dr. Trevor Lawson. “There’s nowhere I’d sooner be because I came from a rural area and that’s where I always wanted to be,” says Lawson, who practices at Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia, specializing in bovine and equine care, and is an […] Read more


CME December 2021 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, brown and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME hogs hit six-month lows

Chicago cattle futures rebound

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures dropped to their lowest prices in more than six months on Tuesday, while cattle futures recovered a day after hitting June lows on concerns about a fire at a major Nebraska beef plant. The hog market extended recent losses under pressure from concerns about the […] Read more

CME December 2021 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, brown and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle drop as fire closes JBS plant

Lean hogs extend slump

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures fell to their lowest prices since June on Monday on concerns that U.S. ranchers could temporarily lose a place to deliver their livestock for slaughter after a fire damaged a JBS USA beef plant. JBS, owned by Brazilian firm JBS SA, halted production at the plant […] Read more