CME February 2024 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle collapse to March lows

Chicago February hogs set contract low

Chicago | Reuters — Cattle futures sank to their lowest levels in nearly eight months at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange on Friday on increased concerns about easing demand for U.S. beef. Technical selling accelerated the slide after funds recently liquidated long positions, traders said. “We don’t know what demand is going to be a year […] Read more

Photo: Canadian Cattlemen file

Auction mart report for the week of November 24, 2023

Regional market analysis from Manitoba and Alberta, courtesy of the Livestock Markets Association of Canada Members

Western Manitoba, courtesy of Heartland Livestock Services Virden saw 500 cattle through the ring this week. Half of those were butcher cattle, and the remainder split evenly between fresh calves and feeders. Southern Alberta buyers purchased half the cattle, local buyers 30 per cent and the remaining 20 per cent went east. Cows and bulls […] Read more


CME February 2024 lean hogs with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs mixed after approaching four-week low

Chicago cattle futures end lower

Chicago | Reuters — Lean hog futures hit their lowest level in about four weeks on Wednesday before ending mixed as traders adjusted positions before the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. The market has dropped about eight per cent since rising on Nov. 7 to the highest price in more than a month, as ample U.S. supplies […] Read more

CME February 2024 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME lean hogs near four-week low amid large supply

Cattle futures slip lower

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures fell to their lowest price in nearly four weeks on Tuesday as large supplies hung over the market. Technical selling added pressure on prices as December hogs dropped below 70 cents/lb. for the first time since Nov. 1, analysts said (all figures US$). The contract […] Read more


(Geralyn Wichers file photo)

Klassen: Canadian feeder buyers ignore weaker futures market

U.S. feedlot placements up four per cent

For the week ending Nov. 18, western Canadian feeder cattle prices traded $3-$5/cwt on either side of unchanged compared to seven days earlier. Buyers appeared to shrug off the weaker futures market and the defensive tone from a week earlier evaporated. Eastern Prairie markets were firm, with larger packages of quality cattle trading a solid […] Read more

CME January 2024 feeder cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Feeder cattle top one-week high

Traders digest U.S. cattle placements data; December hogs lower

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. feeder cattle futures and deferred live cattle futures finished higher on Monday after the government reported placements in feedlots were lower than analysts expected last month. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, in monthly data issued after the close of trading on Friday, said producers placed 3.8 per cent more cattle […] Read more


CME February 2024 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle rise ahead of bullish data

December lean hogs lower

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle and feeder cattle futures ended higher on Friday as livestock traders adjusted positions in the markets. After the close of trading, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued monthly data that showed producers placed 3.8 per cent more cattle into feedlots in October than a year earlier, […] Read more

Calves in the ring at Perlich Bros. Auction Mart.

Auction mart report for the week of Nov. 17, 2023

Regional market analysis from Manitoba and Alberta, courtesy of the Livestock Markets Association of Canada Members

Southern Manitoba, Courtesy of Killarney Auction Mart. 1420 feeders, 220 butchers and 150 bred cows through the ring this week at Killarney Auction Mart. Top end steer calves have stayed reasonably steady. However, heifers and plainer cattle started to see bigger discounts. The volatility in the futures market, weather and volume of cattle moving has […] Read more