CME May 2023 feeder cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME feeder cattle hit new highs on supplies, cash market

Live cattle, lean hogs also up

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange feeder cattle futures hit new all-time highs in the nearby contracts on Monday, as bidding wars continue to rally cash prices as more producers show interest in expanding their herds, traders said. The rally helped give a boost to the pork market, where CME April lean hogs ended […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Spring demand, strong wholesale drives fed cattle prices

The Markets with Deb McMillin, from the May 2023 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Fed cattle The cash market in the U.S. rebounded following a drop in March in response to the mid-month financial turmoil. In Canada, the cash market was not negatively affected and steadily improved, posting new record highs. The first week of April saw the fed steer average in Alberta at $217.59/cwt, an improvement of $7.17/cwt […] Read more


CME June 2023 live cattle with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle pull back from all-time highs

Chicago lean hogs up off contract lows

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures retreated on Friday after racing to all-time highs during the previous three sessions as tightening U.S. supplies rallied cash prices. Profit-taking and technical pressured futures following the surge, though the market could still post new highs moving forward, analysts said. Surging cash prices this week […] Read more

Canadian Simmental Association hosts world congress, plus Shorthorn association news

Canadian Simmental Association hosts world congress, plus Shorthorn association news

Purely Purebred, news from the April 2023 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

The Canadian Simmental Association is proud to announce that the World Simmental Fleckvieh Congress is coming to Canada in 2024. Watch for details in the upcoming months.  In other news from the Canadian Simmental Association, they are looking for a member services representative to work with the association this spring. Check the position out on […] Read more


CME June 2023 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle hit another record high

Cattle producers seen playing hard ball; hogs touch contract lows

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures set a record high for the third consecutive session on Thursday as producers held out for higher prices from meatpackers searching for supplies, brokers said. Strong cash prices and tightening supplies have pushed futures above a 2014 record for the front-month contract, after ranchers reduced […] Read more

Identifying genes that play key roles in stress tolerance will help to breed alfalfa that is more resilient to environmental challenges.

Improving alfalfa’s flood and drought tolerance

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

One of last year’s research columns bemoaned the fact that only four out of 119 alfalfa varieties registered in Canada between 2012 and 2022 had been developed in Canada. The rest were from China, Australia or the U.S. Since then, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has approved nine more varieties originating from Washington, Wisconsin, […] Read more


CME June 2023 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle hit record high as packers scramble for supplies

Chicago lean hogs continue lower

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures stormed to an all-time high on Wednesday as meatpackers scrambled to buy livestock at a time when supplies are tightening, brokers said. Ranchers have reduced their herds due to high feed costs and drought in the western U.S., forcing packers such as Tyson Foods and […] Read more

CME June 2023 live cattle with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures continue climbing

Lean hog futures down on day

Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) live cattle and feeder cattle futures continued climbing Tuesday, with most-active June live cattle again reaching a new contract high. CME June live cattle closed Tuesday at 163.95 cents/lb., up 0.25 cent on the day, while lightly-traded front-month April also closed at a new contract high of 172.3 cents, up 0.925 […] Read more


A beef specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach says producers should try to keep calving areas well drained.

Fighting mud at calving season

Vet Advice with Dr. Ron Clarke

Muddy corrals in early spring are unacceptable for calving. Mud can be a sign of neglect or the unfortunate result of late spring snow storms severe enough to backfill crowded corrals to the point calves are trampled and smothered, or forced to live in the squalor of mud, cold and discomfort. Mud, if not managed […] Read more

Dr. John McKinnon.

Comment: John McKinnon on mentorship

When the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame announced its 2023 inductees earlier this year, I was pleased to see long-time Canadian Cattlemen contributor Dr. John McKinnon on the list. McKinnon’s research career has focused on feed utilization, especially byproduct feeds, but he’s also dedicated a good deal of time to extension. McKinnon was the first […] Read more