CME June 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures end lower, hogs higher

Cattle end up off session lows

Chicago | Reuters — Benchmark live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange fell on Thursday as traders booked profits after a three-session climb and ahead of a long holiday weekend, traders said. U.S. markets, including the CME, will be closed for Good Friday. But cattle futures came off their session lows and hog futures […] Read more

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CEOs of four large U.S. meatpackers to testify in Congressional hearing

Beef prices up for consumers, down for ranchers

Washington | Reuters — The chief executives of U.S. meatpackers Cargill, Tyson Foods, JBS and National Beef Packing have agreed to testify at a Congressional hearing discussing cattle markets and price increases for consumers, House agriculture committee chairman David Scott said Wednesday. “It is very important, very vital, and very urgent that we hear the […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: CME cattle follow broad strength in commodities

June lean hog futures down on day

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange rose on Wednesday for a third straight session, buoyed by broad strength in commodities along with firming cash cattle prices, traders said. A blizzard crossing the northern Plains lent support, raising concern about stress on cattle in the Dakotas, but the storm was […] Read more

The winter snowpack can contribute a significant amount of moisture to forages and other crops the next growing season, but getting a good estimate of how much moisture is in that snow takes a little work.

A crazy winter, a horrific spring

Nutrition with John McKinnon

From a management perspective, this past winter has been unusual, to say the least! It seems at every turn, beef producers across the country faced unexpected challenges. Examples include the residual effects of flooding in the Abbotsford area, drought in Western Canada, extended periods of extremely cold weather and for some areas, near-record snowfall. All […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures climb on firmer cash trade

Lean hogs up on technical buying

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange closed higher on Tuesday on firmer cash cattle prices compared to last week and broad strength in commodities, analysts said. CME June live cattle futures settled up 1.5 cents at 136.3 cents/lb. after touching 136.675 cents, the contract’s highest since April 1 (all […] Read more

CME June 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (dark red line) and CME cash lean hog index (pink line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs, live cattle end higher

May feeder cattle up, August down

Chicago | Reuters — Lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange inched higher on Monday as technical buying and worries about tightening U.S. hog supplies offset fears of slowing pork export demand and softening cash hog prices, traders said. CME benchmark June lean hogs settled up 0.45 cent at 115.025 cents/lb. (all figures US$). […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures end week lower

June hogs firm, April lower

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange slid on Friday to end the week lower as cash markets stalled, despite strong slaughter rates. “The weekly kill came in much larger than expected,” said Dennis Smith, commodity broker at Archer Financial. “I suspect that will change the tone of the cash […] Read more

In his final column column as CCA president, Bob Lowe reflects on his time as head of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association.

CCA reports: Silver linings in two years of stormy weather

From the April 2022 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

Time doesn’t stand still. It’s hard to believe that my term as president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) is already coming to an end — although some days felt a lot longer than others. A lot has happened in 24 short months. Our industry weathered its fair share of storms, but our resiliency shone […] Read more


CME June 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle ease on ample supply, flat cash offers

Flat cutout values drag on hogs

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange fell on Thursday, pressured by ample cattle supplies that offer little incentive for packers to bid up the cash market. “The supply of market ready cattle is a little less than last year, but it’s still plentiful. It just doesn’t seem like the […] Read more

A still from the new film, Too Close to Home, slated for release later this month.

New film features grazing as wildfire prevention tool

"Too Close to Home" highlights potential role of cattle in wildfire mitigation in B.C.

The team behind Guardians of the Grasslands is back with a new film highlighting the role cattle can play in managing wildfire risk. Too Close to Home, the second short documentary produced by the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association’s Public and Stakeholder Engagement team and their partners, aims to share the benefit of targeted grazing as a […] Read more