beef production Archives | Canadian Cattlemen

Native prairie near Hanley, Sask. For producers who are interested in environmental issues and wildlife,  Mackay suggests seeking people with similar interests.

Joining the conversation

While beef producers are on the front line of issues such as antibiotic use and greenhouse gases, their voices still aren’t being heard

By Piper Whelan 2 days ago

Crystal Mackay was surprised to learn that a national event with beef on the menu didn’t have any beef producers at the table. Food Day Canada was created in 2003 to give Canadian beef a boost, and it’s now held annually on the first Saturday in August. Chefs across the country from small restaurants to […] Read more

News, Purely purebred

Checking out beef cattle operations in the U.K.

Purely Purebred with Mike Millar: News about you from the December 2019 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

By Mike Millar January 6, 2020

Mike goes to Scotland Attending the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh, Scotland, was an opportunity to observe cattle and beef programs unique to the United Kingdom. Cattle tend to be taller, well-muscled with less marbling than Canadian cattle. But that’s to be expected as they compete against cattle in the EU. Many heifers calve as […] Read more

Use the dividers in the trailer to keep groups separate during transportation to the packing plant.

Beef Cattle, Features

Tips for minimizing dark cutters

Practical tips for handlers looking to cut the incidence of this costly problem

By Roy Lewis October 23, 2019

An extremely frustrating problem when shipping finished feedlot cattle is the incidence of dark cutters — those graded B4 — or, to a lesser degree, bruising or trim losses experienced at the packing plant. I’m sure we don’t know all the causes of dark cutters yet, but this article will explore some of the causes […] Read more

U.S. feeder cattle prices have been under pressure the last few weeks.

Beef Cattle, Markets

Pressure ahead for fed-cattle markets

The Markets with Deb McMillin, from the September 30, 2019 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

By Debbie McMillin October 1, 2019

Fed cattle Seasonal pressure coupled with leverage loss partly due to the U.S. packing plant fire resulted in smaller weekly kill capacity. Locally, demand is softer following the September long weekend, which is generally the case. In addition, front-end supply is building and packer lift times have lengthened. Over the past five weeks, the fed […] Read more

Finishers, Livestock, Markets

Klassen: Feeder cattle market remains volatile

By Jerry Klassen September 24, 2019

Western Canadian yearling markets appeared to stabilize after coming under pressure earlier in the month. Compared to last week, yearling prices were unchanged to $4 higher on average while calf markets traded $2-$3 on either side of unchanged. Major feedlots were more aggressive for 800-plus-lb. cattle as feed grain prices continue to grind lower. Favourable […] Read more

In the near term, calf prices on light volumes should remain steady.

Beef Cattle, Markets

McMillin: Domestic, global beef demand strong

The Markets with Deb McMillin, from the August 2019 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

By Debbie McMillin August 12, 2019

Fed cattle It’s uncommon to see fed cattle prices pick up through the month of July. However, this has been the case in the last two weeks in Alberta. Beef demand both domestically and globally has been strong and sellers continue to be current in their front-end supply, which has created some leverage. The mid-July […] Read more

Finishers, Livestock, Markets

Klassen: Feeder market shrugs off feed grain rally

By Jerry Klassen June 18, 2019

Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle prices were $2-$5 higher on average. Noted strength was in the 700-plus-lb. categories, which spilt over into the lighter calves. Quality groups of yearlings were limited and the scarcity fear factor had a grip on the market. The U.S. Department of Agriculture lowered its fourth-quarter beef production […] Read more

Livestock, Markets, Reuters

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures sag under pressure from big supplies

By Tom Polansek June 12, 2019

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. livestock futures weakened on Wednesday under pressure from large numbers of cattle and hogs and uncertainty over demand, traders said. Declines in the markets reflected expectations that meat supplies will remain plentiful, after farmers expanded their herds. Beef production in the third quarter of 2019 is expected to top seven […] Read more

Ontario’s current system is overly dependent on calves from out of province, and the focus is to boost cow numbers.

Livestock, News

Ontario votes to increase provincial beef check-off

Checkoff initially proposed in 2018 gets the go-ahead

By Lois Harris May 15, 2019

[UPDATED: May 16, 2019] It took a year of planning, negotiating and explaining how the money would be spent, but members of the Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) finally voted in favour of a hefty $1.50 increase in the beef cattle check-off at the 2019 annual general meeting. The increase was turned down in 2018. […] Read more

Livestock, Markets, Reuters

JBS predicts profits will be stronger this year

By Ana Mano March 29, 2019

Sao Paulo | Reuters — JBS SA executives said Friday the Brazilian meat company will deliver higher earnings in 2019 on strong demand for beef in the U.S. and Australia as well as growing Chinese demand for various proteins. Still, first-quarter results will reflect lower cattle availability in the U.S. due to rains and a […] Read more

Starbucks to add more plant-based food in latest green push

U.S. grains: Corn, soy fall as traders await Chinese buying

U.S. livestock: Hogs, cattle ease amid uncertain Chinese demand

GFM Network News