A steer panting excessively due to heat stress.

Warmer weather boosts ergot risk in cattle

Researchers found symptoms ranging from decreased weight gain to heat stress even though ergot levels in feed didn’t breach CFIA limits

New research has found that feedlot cattle can develop problems when fed ergot even within allowable limits. Ergot is a fungus that can grow on certain grasses and grain plants when moisture conditions are just right. It becomes a problem mainly after a wet growing season. The fungus replaces the seed head with a dark […] Read more

CME December 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle up on demand, tightening supplies

Hogs up on technical bounce

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures rose on Friday in tandem with higher equities and energy markets as a robust slaughter pace and concerns about reduced cattle supplies in the coming months fueled buying. Packers have accelerated their daily slaughter pace following plant downtime around Monday’s Labour Day holiday and they […] Read more


Canadian Simmental Association board. Back row (l to r): Barclay Smith, Bill Biglieni, Ben Farrant, Byron John- son, Shane Williams. Front row (l to r): Jennie Mutch, Blair McIntosh, Randy Noble, Scott Matthews.

News from the Canadian Simmental Association

Purely Purebred, news from the September 2022 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

The 2022 Canadian Simmental Association National Convention took place from July 21 to 24, hosted by the Manitoba Simmental Association in Portage la Prairie, Man. During this annual event, participants had the opportunity to tour Comte Industries Ltd., Tuff Livestock Equipment, Prairie Cricket Farms, Divorne Farms Ltd. and Roquette Canada Ltd.  During this year’s convention, […] Read more

CME December 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 100-day moving average (black line, right column) and CME cash lean hog index (pink line, left column). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs mostly lower on weak cash market

Chicago live cattle mixed, feeders up

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures ended mostly lower on Thursday as eroding cash hog prices weighed on the market along with weaker wholesale pork prices and slumping pork exports. Technical buying helped to underpin the actively traded October contract, the only month that closed higher on Thursday, while back month […] Read more


CME October 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle down on quiet cash trade

Hog futures narrowly mixed

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures weakened on Wednesday as quiet trade on the cash market fortified concerns about light demand, traders said. Hog futures were narrowly mixed, with short-covering providing support, while worries that a firm U.S. dollar will chill export demand for pork added pressure. Benchmark CME October live cattle […] Read more

CME December 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle climb on cash market optimism

Lean hog futures also close higher

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange livestock futures rose on Tuesday on hopes that the pace of slaughter of both cattle and hogs will pick up after slowing down for the U.S. Labor Day holiday weekend. Short-covering was also noted in hog futures after the front-month contract sank to its lowest since Feb. 9 […] Read more



CME December 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME live cattle climb on cash market optimism

CME lean hogs slip on cash market pessimism

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures ended higher on Friday on expectations of higher cash cattle prices next week and position-squaring ahead of a long U.S. holiday weekend, traders said. Benchmark CME October live cattle futures settled up 1.75 cents at 144.55 cents/lb., with December up 1.675 cents at 150.25 cents […] Read more


CME October 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, dark red and black lines), (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures up as corn prices sag

CME lean hogs end mixed

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures settled mostly higher on Thursday as lower grain prices propped up feeder cattle futures, signaling cheaper feed costs, traders said. Benchmark CME October live cattle futures settled up 0.225 cent at 142.8 cents/lb., a day after dipping to a four-week low (all figures US$). CME […] Read more

CME October 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks, right column) with 20-day moving average (pink line) and CME’s cash lean hog index (black line, left column). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hog futures follow cash hogs lower

Live cattle down, feeder cattle mixed

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures fell on Wednesday on profit-taking after a two-session climb and pressure from softening cash hog prices, traders said. CME benchmark October lean hogs settled down 2.075 cents at 91.525 cents/lb. and December hogs ended down 1.625 cents at 83.875 cents/lb. The CME Lean Hog Index, […] Read more