Calves in the auction mart in the fall.

Auction mart report for the week of Dec. 1, 2023

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

Western Manitoba, courtesy of Heartland Livestock Services Ninety butchers and 1,260 feeders through the ring this week at Killarney Auction Mart. The extreme volatility we have seen in the futures market in recent weeks has affected calf prices. The top-end steers are still selling very well and producers are being rewarded for looking after all […] Read more

CME February 2024 live cattle with 10-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle drop on fund selling, beef demand concerns

Chicago lean hogs continue higher

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures dropped on Thursday after two sessions of gains, pressured by fund long liquidation and as higher corn feed prices and worries about demand for high-priced beef cuts hung over the market. Technical selling accelerated the break, the live cattle market’s sixth in the last eight sessions, […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle gain for second straight day after selloff

Chicago lean hog futures also firm

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures rose for a second consecutive session on Wednesday on short covering and follow-through technical and bargain buying after the market plunged to multi-month lows to start the week. Improving packer margins and futures’ steep discount to cash cattle prices also supported the market following the fund-selling […] Read more

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

U.S. livestock: CME cattle up on short covering, discount to cash

Short covering also lifts CME hogs

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures surged on Tuesday in a short-covering rebound from multi-month lows in the prior session, supported by the market’s steep discount to cash market prices. Feeder cattle futures rose by as much as the daily trading limit, triggering expanded limits for both feeders and live cattle for […] Read more


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

U.S. livestock: Fund selling sends CME cattle to multi-month lows

February hogs touch contract low

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures tumbled sharply for a second straight session on Monday on fund long liquidation, technical selling and concerns about slowing beef demand and rising supplies. Actively traded February live cattle dropped to an eight-month low while several deferred-month contracts posted life-of-contract lows. January feeder cattle plunged more […] Read more

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