Livestock , Latest & Featured - Canadian Cattlemen

Klassen: Feedlots curb buying interest

By Jerry Klassen November 16, 2015

Despair is the price one pays for setting an impossible aim. Given the phone calls over the past week, producers have been expecting something the market cannot offer. Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were under severe pressure, with 700-plus-pound cattle down $8-$12 from seven days earlier; calves under 700 lbs. traded $4-$8 below week-ago levels. […] Read more

Livestock, Prime cuts

Massive market meltdown in cattle prices

Prime Cuts with Steve Kay, from the October 2015 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

By Steve Kay November 16, 2015

In my 42 years as a journalist, I’ve witnessed natural disasters and the burning of thousands of animal carcasses after FMD outbreaks in the U.K. All were traumatic to watch. Market collapses don’t equate with them but the massive market meltdown in the U.S. in August and September has been a brutal experience for the […] Read more

Yum Brands’ Taco Bell chain plans for its U.S. restaurants, such as this site at Mesquite in the Dallas area, to use only “cage-free” eggs by the end of 2016. (HighStreet Net Lease Group via Marketwired)

Livestock, Poultry/Eggs, Reuters

Taco Bell to switch to cage-free eggs after 2016, ahead of rivals

By Lisa Baertlein November 16, 2015

Los Angeles | Reuters — Taco Bell said on Monday its more than 6,000 U.S. fast-food restaurants would stop using eggs laid by caged hens by Jan. 1, 2017, years ahead of the deadlines set by its bigger rivals. The announcement came amid mounting pressure on Taco Bell to remove artificial ingredients, to source products […] Read more

Average Pacific Ocean sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies, in degrees Celsius, for the week centred on Nov. 4. (CPC.ncep.noaa.gov)

Beef Cattle, Crops, Reuters, Weather

El Nino strengthening, to be among biggest on record: WMO

By Tom Miles November 16, 2015

Geneva | Reuters — The El Nino weather pattern, a phenomenon associated with extreme droughts, storms and floods, is expected to strengthen before the end of the year and become one of the strongest on record, the United Nations’ weather agency said Monday. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said this El Nino was already “strong […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Hogs, Livestock, Markets, Reuters

U.S. livestock: Heavy meat supplies sour CME cattle, hog futures

By P.J. Huffstutter, GFM Network News November 13, 2015

Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures fell sharply on Friday, rounding out the week on a sour note as traders sought cover amid a steep downturn in wholesale beef prices. CME live cattle and feeder cattle futures gave back much of the gains they had made in the past two sessions, after […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Features

In search of healthy beef cattle livers

By Debbie Furber November 13, 2015

Liver abscesses continue to be an economic concern for the beef industry, even with modern feeding practices. They are worth around 60 cents a pound if suitable for human consumption, but more important than the direct loss when abscessed livers have to be condemned is the effect on performance and carcass characteristics. Brittany Wiese, a […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Crops, Markets, Reuters

Cargill said restructuring, cutting jobs

By Sarah McFarlane November 13, 2015

London | Reuters –– Cargill Inc., one of the world’s largest privately held corporations, has launched a restructuring that includes job cuts, one company source and four industry sources said Friday, the latest casualty of a downturn in the farm economy. The 150-year-old company, a top commodities trader, is also closing offices, two of the […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Hogs, Livestock, Markets, Reuters

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle, hogs continue gains for second day

By P.J. Huffstutter, GFM Network News November 13, 2015

Chicago | Reuters — Livestock futures traders continued to hunt for cover on their short positions Thursday, resulting in Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures climbing a second day after prices slid to contract lows earlier this week. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange saw live cattle and feeder cattle futures on Wednesday bounce back strongly from contract […] Read more

Livestock

Rookie MP named Bloc’s agriculture critic

By Canadian Cattlemen Staff November 12, 2015

The Bloc Quebecois has tapped a rookie Montreal-area MP from its expanded 10-member caucus to serve as its new critic for agriculture and agri-food. Simon Marcil won the newly created riding of Mirabel in last month’s election by a spread of 837 votes over Mylene Freeman, the incumbent NDP MP for Argenteuil-Papineau-Mirabel and the party’s […] Read more

Hogs, Livestock, Reuters

Merck to buy Harrisvaccines to boost livestock portfolio

By P.J. Huffstutter November 12, 2015

Chicago | Reuters — Merck and Co.’s animal health unit will buy privately-held Harrisvaccines to expand its portfolio of animal vaccines as the U.S. livestock industry seeks new defenses against diseases, the companies said on Thursday. Financial details were not disclosed. The deal, which is expected to close by year-end, follows rival Zoetis’ agreement, announced […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Hog futures hit contract highs on shock herd decline

Alberta Crop Report: Harvest more than three-quarters finished

NFU says proposed plant breeders’ rights come at farmers’ expense

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