Bovine respiratory disease is the leading cause of sickness and death in newly received feedlot calves.

Preconditioning gives calves better start when entering feedlots

Calves that are properly vaccinated, given protein-rich feed and taught to use a waterer before leaving home tend to better manage feedlot stress

Bovine respiratory disease is the leading cause of sickness and death in newly received feedlot calves. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure for these youngsters that may be immuno-compromised after weaning and transportation. “When you look at the entire North American feedlot industry this disease alone and the losses associated with […] Read more

CME August 2019 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Lean hogs end lower

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) lean hog futures fell about three per cent on Thursday on sluggish cash markets, traders said, retreating after a two-session surge that lifted the August contract to a near-three-week high a day earlier. CME August lean hogs settled down 2.55 cents at 79.175 cents/lb., one day after […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder market softens on limited volumes

Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle prices were steady to $3 lower on average. Many auction barns were on holidays last week. Auctions that did hold sales had limited numbers on offer. The feeder market remains under pressure due to negative feeding margins, firm feed grain values and weakness in deferred live cattle […] Read more




Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau and Trade Diversification Minister Jim Carr meet with Canadian beef and pork industry officials Wednesday in Montreal. (Photo courtesy Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)

Canada proposes China meat export solution

Reuters — Canada offered a plan to reassure China about the security of its meat export system, a Canadian minister said on Wednesday, as Ottawa rejected Chinese criticism of its efforts to enlist allies to resolve a diplomatic dispute between the countries. China said last week it wanted the Canadian government to stop allowing meat […] Read more


CME August 2019 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

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

Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) lean hog futures closed lower on Wednesday on technical selling including profit-taking and long liquidation ahead of the U.S. Independence Day holiday, along with bearish supply fundamentals, traders said. CME’s benchmark August lean hogs contract ended down 0.6 cent at 78.375 cents/lb., turning lower after rising to […] Read more