(USDA.gov via Flickr)

USDA requires meat packers to report online cattle auction deals

Chicago | Reuters –– The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Thursday it will require meat packers to report cattle purchases they make through online auctions to the agency starting next week, a move that stoked traders’ hopes for more transparent markets. USDA will begin including transactions from auctions on the Fed Cattle Exchange in pricing […] Read more




(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder market softens

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, goes the old proverb, and there is no greater example than in the cattle complex. Placid feedlot operators watched in dismay as fed cattle sold in the range of $133-$135 this past week, down approximately $6 from week-ago levels and $10 below breakeven pen closeout values. The stomach-churning fed […] Read more



Calf contract numbers were down in Alberta and Saskatchewan and up in British Columbia and Manitoba in 2016.

Calf price insurance: The tale of two years

Premiums were low relative to rising cattle prices last year during the February-to-May window to buy Western Livestock Price Insurance Program (WLPIP) calf contracts. When market prices fell last fall, WLPIP paid out significant amounts. It did exactly what it was designed to do — protect producers against an unexpected drop in cattle prices, says […] Read more



(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder market brewing but caution prevails

Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were steady to $4 higher relative to week-ago levels. Yearling volumes are starting to increase in central and northern Alberta while the southern and eastern regions experienced limited activity. Buyers’ opaque attitudes resulted in a firmer tone and no one could feel guilty for a minor intemperance. However, the circumspect […] Read more



(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder cattle market seeking stability

Western Canadian feeder cattle prices continued on a downward trajectory trading $3-$5 below week-ago levels. Erratic buying interest resulted in inconsistent price action across the Prairies which made the market difficult to define. Smaller groups of various quality cattle were on offer, justifying the softer tone, but feedlot operators demonstrated unwavering fortitude even on genetically […] Read more