The Diefenbaker Bridge over the North Saskatchewan River in Prince Albert, Sask.  Photo: Carolyn Carleton / Wikimedia Commons

Husky oil spill hits Prince Albert water supply; farmers also scrambling for alternative sources for livestock

Reuters – An oil leak from a Husky Energy Inc pipeline into a major Canadian river has forced a second city in the province of Saskatchewan to stop drawing drinking water, officials said on Monday, widening the impact and cost of the spill. The heavy oil and diluent leaked from Husky’s Saskatchewan Gathering System pipeline on […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle futures surge by 3-cent/lb price limit

Chicago / Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures settled up by their 3-cents-per-lb daily price limit on Monday, driven by fund buying and Friday’s mildly bullish government monthly cattle report, said traders. August and October live cattle closed at 112.950 cents and 111.075 cents per lb, respectively. Live cattle’s trading limit will be expanded […] Read more


Alfalfa and chicory helped carry the cattle through the dry pasture conditions.

When rain comes to pastures at the right time

A sudden turn in moisture conditions made all the difference

I am back up on 4 Clover Ranch near Rocky Mountain House, Alta., having arrived a week ago and getting our custom grazing operation going with cow-calf pairs trucked in as this is written. Meanwhile back at our Alcheringa Pastoral (Australia), Helen happily reported that our steer sale in late May had gone well. We […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures rally before USDA report

Chicago / Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed higher on Friday after short-covering and bargain hunting snapped a three-day losing streak, traders said. August live cattle ended 2.425 cents per lb higher at 109.950 cents, and October closed 2.375 cents higher at 108.075 cents. Investors were awaiting the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s monthly Cattle-On-Feed report on Friday at 2 […] Read more


Photo: File

Australia’s richest woman buys two cattle stations

Reuters – Australia’s richest woman Gina Rinehart has expanded her cattle business, buying two cattle properties in the country’s north, as the billionaire seeks to profit from Asia’s fast-growing food market. The cattle properties, located southwest of the town of Katherine in the Northern Territory, were bought from one of Indonesia’s largest importers of cattle, Japfa, […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle futures plunge to five-year low on supply worries

Chicago / Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures on Thursday slumped to a five-year low in anticipation of increased supplies that could further pressure wholesale beef prices, traders said. August live cattle ended 1.900 cents per lb lower at 107.525 cents, and October closed 2.375 cents lower at 105.700 cents. Affordable grain reduced cattle input costs which translates into plenty […] Read more


Check-off refunds, along with rural vet shortages, will be discussed at the upcoming Alberta Beef Producer meetings

Alberta Beef, Cattle Feeders at an impasse on checkoff plan

Alberta Beef Producers has proposed a new funding council, but it wasn’t enough to sway cattle feeders

The Alberta Beef Producers and the Alberta Cattle Feeders Association have come to an impasse on making the provincial checkoff non-refundable. And that’s put the controversial matter in the hands of the provincial government. “We’re trying to come up with a plan,” said Martin Zuidhof, chair of the Alberta Cattle Feeders Association. “That’s where it’s […] Read more

Purdue University researcher Bruce Applegate says the system could be tested to see if it works without pasteurization.  (Purdue Agriculture Communication photo/Tom Campbell)

Cool-temperature process extends milk shelf life

Rapid heating and cooling by 10 C

Purdue University researchers say they have developed a milk preservation system using a lower temperature than pasteurization, but providing a longer shelf life. The researchers found that increasing the temperature of milk by 10 C for less than a second and then cooling it rapidly eliminates more than 99 per cent of the bacteria left […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Lower cash, beef prices again sink CME live cattle futures

Chicago / Reuters – Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures’ extended their losses on Wednesday from the previous session, led by the morning’s lower cash and wholesale pork prices, traders said. August live cattle ended 0.975 cent per lb lower at 109.425 cents, and October closed 1.400 cents lower at 108.075 cents. A small number of market-ready, or cash cattle in […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feds fund Canada Beef export promotion

$6.4 million over three years

Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay has announced funding of up to $6.4 million over three years for Canada Beef Inc., the national agency for research and promotion. A government release said the funds will support Canadian Beef’s three-year market development and promotion plan targeting key regional hubs in Asia, Europe, North America and Latin […] Read more