CME August 2021 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (pink, brown and black lines) and August 2021 live cattle (dark red line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hogs drop as domestic, export demand seen weak

CME August cattle futures up

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog futures fell sharply on Thursday as traders priced in expectations for waning demand after the U.S. Independence Day holiday this weekend. Signs of poor demand from China, which has been a big buyer of U.S. pork since an outbreak of African swine fever decimated production in the […] Read more

Seasonal flu shots are recommended to help limit spread of flu viruses between people and livestock. (Inside Creative House/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

Another swine flu variant case appears in Manitoba

Variant of H3N2 confirmed in southern Manitoba resident

A single and apparently isolated case of another influenza variant normally seen in hogs has turned up in a Manitoba resident, the province announced Monday. Manitoba Public Health on Monday said the H3N2 influenza variant (H3N2v) seen in this case is related to flu viruses that circulate in pigs, noting that while such viruses don’t […] Read more


Brazilian meatpacker JBS SA’s logo on a tower in Jundiai, northwest of Sao Paulo in southeastern Brazil, on June 1, 2017. (File photo: Reuters/Paulo Whitaker)

JBS says it paid US$11 million in bitcoin for ransom

Cyberattack disrupted plants in North America, Australia

Reuters — Meatpacker JBS USA paid a ransom equivalent to US$11 million (C$13.3 million) following a cyberattack that disrupted its North American and Australian operations, the company’s CEO said in a statement Wednesday. The subsidiary of Brazilian firm JBS halted cattle slaughtering at all of its U.S. plants and its Alberta beef plant for a […] Read more

CME July 2021 lean hogs (candlesticks) with August 2021 live cattle (dark red open/high/low/close). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: July hogs retreat after matching contract high

August live cattle up slightly, feeders down

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) lean hog futures ended mixed on Tuesday after matching a contract high because of tight U.S. supplies and firm cash markets, analysts said. The hog market has surged this year due to strong domestic demand and solid export sales to China, the world’s biggest pork consumer. Profit-taking […] Read more


Screengrab from a 2018 video showing cold storage at the JBS beef slaughter and packing plant at Brooks, Alta. (JBS video via YouTube)

JBS plants reopen as White House blames Russia over hack

Washington/Chicago | Reuters — JBS SA employees started returning to U.S. meat plants on Wednesday, a day after the company’s beef operations stopped following a ransomware attack, disrupting meat production in North America and Australia. A notorious Russia-linked hacking group is behind the cyberattack against JBS, a source familiar with the matter said. Brazil’s JBS […] Read more

CME July 2021 lean hogs (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2) and CME lean hog cash index (dark red line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Lean hogs up on firm demand, tight supplies

Daily cattle slaughter down on week

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures climbed on Friday as pork demand remained firm and supplies of market-ready hogs stayed low, analysts said. “At some point though, you would think the wholesale price would put a damper on demand, at some point in the summer,” said Doug Houghton technical analyst at […] Read more


(PorcOlymel.com)

Olymel gets home province’s backing for plant upgrades

Quebec to invest $150 million in packer

Pork and poultry producer and packer Olymel has picked up equity investments from its home province to support a total of $315 million in plant upgrades. The Quebec government announced Tuesday it would invest $74 million in Olymel through its economy and innovation ministry’s Fonds pour la croissance des entreprises quebecois (FCEQ) plus $76 million […] Read more



(Lovelyshot/iStock/Getty Images)

U.S. livestock: CME cattle futures up on beef prices, demand

June hogs down off recent rallies

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle futures rose on Friday on strong beef prices and demand for red meat that also catapulted margins for beef processors. Meat demand is high as federal stimulus checks have increased incomes and prompted consumers to spend more at supermarkets and restaurants, analysts said. COVID-19 vaccinations are also […] Read more

CME June 2021 lean hogs (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (pink line) and June 2021 live cattle (dark red line). (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hogs rally again on pork prices, supply woes

June live cattle rise to even with June hogs

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hog futures extended a sharp rally on Wednesday, touching contract highs for the fourth consecutive day on limited supplies and strong pork prices. U.S. pork demand is strong as sales have benefited after households received additional COVID-19 pandemic relief money from the federal government, analysts said. The […] Read more