(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder market consolidates

Western Canadian feeder cattle markets continue to consolidate at the higher levels. Most auction markets were closed due to the Canada Day holiday, so all eyes were on focused south of the border for market sentiment. Average U.S. feeder prices were steady to $3 lower at major sales in Oklahoma and Missouri as the U.S. […] Read more

(Regis Lefebure photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. livestock: Hog supplies, post-holiday slump cool CME futures

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. livestock futures remained mostly sluggish on Monday at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange as traders wrestled with strengthening grain prices, tight supplies of market-ready cattle, and visions of a glut of hogs straining U.S. slaughterhouse capacity in the coming months. Livestock futures trading was relatively light on an historic day at […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: Profit-taking undercuts CME live cattle

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures snapped a three-day win streak on Thursday, pressured by profit-taking and a wholesale beef price downturn, traders said. June closed down 0.575 cent per pound, to 155.225 cents, and August 0.6 cent lower at 152.925 cents (all figures US$). Thursday morning’s wholesale choice beef (cutout) […] Read more

(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle climb as beef prices jump

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed higher on Tuesday, fuelled by short-covering after the sharp rebound in wholesale beef prices, traders said. June closed up 1.6 cents per pound, to 155.075 cents, and August 1.275 cents higher at 152.875 cents (all figures US$). Tuesday morning’s wholesale choice beef price surged […] Read more



(CMEGroup.com)

U.S. livestock: Speculative buying rallies CME live cattle

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle finished higher on Monday, buoyed by speculation that cash and wholesale beef prices may bottom out soon, traders said. June closed up 0.65 cent per pound to 153.475 cents, and August 1.025 cent higher at 151.6 cents (all figures US$). Monday morning’s wholesale choice beef (cutout) […] Read more


(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle slump with beef prices, but off lows

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle ended lower on Friday, pressured by profit-taking and a wholesale beef price reversal after Thursday’s spike, traders said. Futures remained undervalued based on this week’s cash price expectations, which stirred late-session buying that freed contracts from session lows. June closed down 0.4 cent per pound, to […] Read more

(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle jump on beef price turnaround

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures gained on Thursday on short-covering after wholesale beef values turned higher, traders said. June closed up 0.725 cent per pound, to 153.225 cents, and August 0.825 cent higher at 151.45 cents (all figures US$). Thursday morning’s choice wholesale beef price, cutout, rose $1.23 per hundredweight […] Read more


cattle in a feedlot

Beef Watch: Canadian cattle inventories decline, U.S. herds expanding

Beef Watch is prepared by the staff of Canfax and Canfax Research Services, divisions of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association

While U.S. herd expansion is underway, the Canadian beef cattle herd remains in the consolidation phase. Cow-calf and feedlot profitability improved significantly in 2014 with record cattle prices, lower feed costs and strong beef demand, but risk factors such as weather conditions, input costs and competition from pork and poultry need to be closely watched […] Read more

(Canada Beef Inc. photo)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle fall as beef demand fades

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures on Wednesday closed lower following sliding wholesale beef prices, traders said. June closed down 0.8 cent per pound to 152.5 cents, and August 1.375 cents lower at 150.625 cents. The choice wholesale beef price, or cutout, on Wednesday fell $2.13 per hundredweight (cwt) from Tuesday […] Read more