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

U.S. livestock: CME cattle, hogs firm

Futures supported by cash markets

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange lifted on Wednesday, supported by cash cattle prices that pulled up nearby futures markets. “We just got below the cash market,” said Alan Brugler, president of Brugler Marketing. “That was an argument to try the long side.” The nearby April live cattle contract […] 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 ease, seasonal high possible

Avian flu outbreaks may ripple through meat markets

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange eased on Tuesday, pressured by a steady supply of market-ready cattle that may indicate a seasonal high in the market. “Five weeks in a row of generally steady trade for cash cattle is reminding the trade that we may already be at the […] Read more


CME June 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20-, and 50-day moving averages (pink and brown lines) and CME cash Lean Hog Index (black line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME hogs, cattle fall on strong slaughter, profit-taking

Feeder cattle lower as corn rises

Chicago | Reuters — Lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange fell on Monday on profit taking following last week’s Hogs and Pigs report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “The overall fundamental is still tight numbers, tight supply created by disease, empty pen spaces, empty buildings,” said Brad Kooima, commodity broker at Kooima […] Read more

CME June 2022 live cattle (candlesticks) with 20-, 100- and 200-day moving averages (pink, brown and black lines). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME hogs, cattle ease on profit-taking

Rising corn values pressure feeder cattle

Chicago | Reuters — Lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange fell on Friday on follow-through technical selling one day after the benchmark June contract closed lower in a huge reversal from a life-of-contract high. CME benchmark June lean hogs settled down 0.175 cent at 120.40 cents/lb., retreating farther from the contract high set […] Read more


CME June 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs retreat off contract highs

Corn's climb drags on cattle futures

Chicago | Reuters — Lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange closed lower on Thursday, shrugging off early support from a bullish U.S. government hog inventory report as traders appeared to focus instead on profit-taking at the end of the quarter and disappointing wholesale pork prices, traders said. CME benchmark June lean hogs settled […] Read more

Steve Kenyon: The disposable herd

Steve Kenyon: The disposable herd

Managing the spring flush the key to fall grazing

We have a very short growing season here at Busby, Alta. We start to green up at the end of April or in early May and are usually hit with a killing frost by mid-September. We have about five months to grow 12 months’ worth of feed. Now, some might take that as a disadvantage. […] Read more


CME June 2022 lean hogs (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME hog futures end lower

USDA inventory data seen supportive

Chicago | Reuters — Lean hog futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange closed lower on Wednesday on profit-taking and positioning ahead of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s quarterly hog inventory report. However, traders said the government data, released after the close, was supportive for futures. USDA reported the U.S. hog herd as of March 1 […] Read more

Prairie sage in central Saskatchewan.

Grazing management and soil health

By adapting grazing practices that fit your context and by following the six soil health principles, you can improve the soil on your ranch

I hope this title suggests that there is a definite causal link between grazing management and soil health. Nothing you do on grazing lands can improve soil health more than good grazing management. While growing up, I wanted to be a rancher because I liked cattle and the challenge of raising them profitably. I wanted […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures rise as grains fall

Hogs ease ahead of USDA data

Chicago | Reuters — Live cattle futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange rose on Tuesday with the benchmark June contract hitting a four-week top, led by a surge in feeder cattle futures and optimism about consumer demand for beef, traders said. CME June live cattle settled up 1.7 cents at 138.475 cents/lb. while May feeder […] Read more

Planning for herd health

Planning for herd health

Identifying the key elements of a herd health protocol using the VBP+ sample record template

A herd health protocol is a document that outlines a producer’s plan for annual vaccinations and procedures, as well as treatments for common on-farm diseases. Created with a veterinarian, this plan includes timing of procedures, necessary supplies and identification of the cattle involved. While it is always a producer’s goal to avoid needing to treat […] Read more