CME April 2020 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Wall Street leads CME cattle, hogs limit down

'You are developing a demand problem'

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle and feeder cattle futures plunged their daily limit on Thursday, dragged down by another steep sell-off on Wall Street, fears of a global recession and continued uncertainty about consumer demand for meat, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange April live cattle contract settled down its three-cent limit at 100.075 […] Read more

Taste-testing during a Canadian Beef Advantage Seminar in Shanghai in 2013. (Canada Beef via YouTube)

China proposes new standards on hormone residues in beef

New standards would apply to all beef exporters

Beijing | Reuters — China has drawn up food safety standards on residue limits of growth hormones in beef, a move seen as a further step toward opening up its market to imports of the meat from the U.S. China has previously had zero tolerance for any residues of growth hormones, which has restricted the […] Read more


For you to understand livestock nutrition, it’s important to have a firm grasp on basic math concepts as they relate to cattle feeding.

Math 101 for beef producers

Nutrition with John McKinnon

When I discuss various aspects of nutrition with producers, I often sense confusion when it comes to “as fed” versus “dry matter” (DM) conversions. Such conversions have a profound effect on our ability to predict feed intake and on our understanding of ration nutrient concentration, feed costs and on cost of gain calculations. If one […] Read more

Agrifoods Cooperative chair Tim Hofstra on March 11, 2020 announced a licensing deal with New Zealand’s a2 Milk Co. (CNW Group/Agrifoods Cooperative)

Agrifoods gets license for A1 protein-free milk brand

Dairy co-op to bring New Zealand's a2 Milk brand to Canada

A major Canadian dairy co-operative specializing in organic and grass-fed products is entering the market for A1 protein-free milk with a license for a major international brand. Agrifoods Cooperative announced Wednesday it has an exclusive licensing agreement with New Zealand-based a2 Milk Co. to process and sell dairy products under the a2 Milk brand in […] Read more


CME June 2020 live cattle, with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures sag as virus woes fuel recession fears

Bearish market sentiment also drags on hogs

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures fell on Wednesday, with several deferred months setting contract lows as fears of a global recession sent global equity markets tumbling and fueled uncertainty about consumer demand for beef, traders said. “The cattle market really follows what is going on with equities, and equities are down near […] Read more

The show barns are a place to not only get ready for the ring, but visit and do business.

Doing business at Agribition

How do major livestock exhibitions facilitate commerce? Canadian Western Agribition provides a case study

For those who know it, stepping into the show barns feels like coming home. The sound of blowers competes with speakers blasting everything from classic country to AC/DC. Clipping chutes are pulled into the aisles, with capable teams of fitters putting on the finishing touches in time for the next class. In this atmosphere, there’s […] Read more


CME April 2020 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hogs follow rebound on Wall Street

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed higher on Tuesday, following as Wall Street charged back from the prior day’s steep losses as the world’s biggest economies moved to cushion the impact of the coronavirus, traders said. The rally in global equity markets overshadowed bearish fundamentals in the cattle market, including declining cash […] Read more



(Photo courtesy A&W Canada)

A+W starts move to all-grass-fed, all-Canadian beef

Suppliers lined up to begin transition this spring

Canadian burger chain A+W’s next move to distinguish its menu in a crowded quick-service market will be a connection to the regenerative ag movement, as it sets itself up with an all-Canadian and all-grass-fed beef supply. The Vancouver-based chain, which includes almost 1,000 restaurants across Canada, announced Monday it’s “making a commitment to exclusively source […] Read more

CME April 2020 feeder cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures dive, led by energy, equity markets

CME feeder cattle close limit down

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures fell on Monday for a third straight session and hit life-of-contract lows following a plunge in crude oil and equity markets amid fears of a global recession, traders said. “When you have the stock market losing five to seven per cent of its value in a day, […] Read more