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

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures up with cash prices, tightening supplies

October lean hogs also gain on day

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures climbed to a 3-1/2 month peak on Monday, supported by firm cash market prices and tightening supplies. Falling corn feed prices supported feeder cattle futures, while lean hog contracts also gained and touched the highest level since June 2021. CME August live cattle futures peaked […] Read more

Photo: Canada Beef Inc.

Strong seasonal demand bodes well for cattle market

The Markets with Deb McMillin, from the August 2022 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Fed cattle The fed cattle market held up through the summer, with recent weeks trading between $174.18/cwt and $175.32/cwt. Strong seasonal demand heading into barbeque season as well as restaurant and food service beef movement recovering to pre-pandemic levels have supported prices. At mid-July, the fed steer average in Western Canada was $175.06/cwt, an increase […] Read more


A section of pasture shows evidence of careful grazing around leafy spurge stems.

Living with leafy spurge

Research projects look at how to manage, not eliminate, this pasture weed

Glacier FarmMedia – In terms of nightmare plants for pasture management, leafy spurge is a scary one. It’s an official noxious weed, invasive, deeply rooted, able to spread through both seed and creeping roots and almost impossible to eliminate. Its thick patches can wreak havoc on pasture productivity for most outdoor livestock species, goats and […] Read more



The BovineHub, a weigh scale from Ireland’s StrongBó Agritech in partnership with Dr. Marty Metzger at Dave Gardiner Farms, provides low-stress, accurate cattle weights using only the animal’s two front feet on the pad. The information links automatically to the RFID tag and assists in optimizing diet and increasing profit through timely cattle marketing.

Measuring feedlots for better management

New tech tools and software are bringing data to the forefront of feedlot management

Glacier FarmMedia – Technology is gaining traction in the beef sector and feedlot operators are turning data into physical and economic gains. More Ontario feedlot operators are ditching pen and paper in favour of apps, programs and barn tech accessories to track cattle movement and improve management efficiencies. Why it matters: Tech support and data […] Read more

Local conservation officers speak during a field day hosted by the pilot project on June 21.

Livestock predation project set to bear results

Mitigation strategy pilot filling up, but a few slots remain for producers

Glacier FarmMedia – Ray Bittner, lead of the predation pilot project being spearheaded by the Manitoba Beef Producers, is looking at a lot of ways to keep a healthy distance between livestock and predators. There is special penning, with seven strings of electric wire and predator-resistant gates to keep problem animals out. There are game […] 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 end higher on firm beef prices

Futures up before new USDA figures released

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed higher on Friday, supported by strong beef prices and positioning ahead of U.S. government reports released after the close of the market, traders said. CME August live cattle futures settled up 1.65 cents at 137.375 cents/lb. and most-active October ended up 2.025 cents at […] Read more

CME August 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20- and 100-day moving averages (pink and brown lines) and CME’s cash lean hog index (black line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hog futures end mixed

Cash markets lift August hogs; live cattle lower, feeder cattle up

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures closed mixed on Thursday, with the front August contract gaining against back months as a heat wave in the Midwest and Plains helped support nearby cash hog prices, traders said. CME August lean hog futures settled up 1.425 cents at 116.3 cents/lb. while most-active October […] Read more


CME August 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (pink line) and CME lean hog index (black line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hog futures climb, following cash markets

CME live cattle inch up in lacklustre trade

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures closed higher on Wednesday, supported by firm cash markets tied to tight supplies of hogs, traders said. Hot weather in the U.S. midsection added support, posing potential disruptions to the transport of animals. CME August lean hog futures settled 2.05 cents higher at 114.875 cents/lb. […] Read more

Excessive heat warnings (in magenta) and heat advisories (in orange) were in place July 19, 2022 for areas across much of the southern U.S. Plains. (Weather.gov)

Sizzling heat stresses livestock, crops in southern U.S. Plains

Chicago | Reuters — Scorching temperatures in the southern U.S. Plains are stressing cattle as well as crops such as cotton, corn and soybeans, meteorologists and traders said on Tuesday. Temperatures were forecast to reach 111 F (44 C) in parts of the Texas Panhandle, a core area for cotton and cattle production. While much […] Read more