(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder cattle demand surges

Cow-calf producers already thinking spring

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearlings sold $3-$5 higher while calves traded $6 to as much as $10 higher. The return of moderate temperatures enhanced buying enthusiasm across the Prairies. Strength in deferred live cattle futures appeared to offset strong feed grain values. Yearling prices were rather soft through January and the first half […] Read more

CME April 2021 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures fall as supplies seen rising

April lean hogs up from Friday

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures fell on Monday, pressured by expectations of rising supplies as improving weather conditions in the southern U.S. Plains will allow meat processors to increase their slaughter, traders said. A deep freeze last week across Texas and the southern U.S. Plains caused power failures that shut down meat […] Read more

CME April 2021 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle end week lower

Hogs down on Olymel's plan to ship Canadian hogs south

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures rose on Friday, but failed to end the week higher as a cold snap across the U.S. Plains and into Texas hampered slaughterhouses and backed up cattle, traders said. “There’s still a big mess,” said Dennis Smith, commodity broker at Archer Financial. “The good news is, the […] Read more

CME April 2021 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures dip on slaughter delays

Lower supply expectations support hog futures

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures fell on Thursday as short-term processing delays caused by power outages and frigid weather backed up cattle and softened cash prices, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange April live cattle futures settled down 1.225 cents at 122.925 cents/lb., while the spot February contract ended 0.175 cents lower at […] Read more

CME March 2021 feeder cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle, hog futures sag as weather stalls slaughter pace

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle and hog futures declined on Wednesday as wintry weather and power outages hampered meat-packing operations, slowing the pace of slaughter and reducing demand for market-ready animals, traders said. Chicago Mercantile Exchange April live cattle futures settled down 1.65 cents at 124.15 cents/lb., while the spot February contract ended down […] Read more


CME April 2021 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle futures mostly firm on wintry Plains weather

April hogs stay within Friday's range

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures closed mostly higher on Tuesday as frigid conditions gripped the U.S. Plains and Midwest, limiting the movement of animals into meat plants and threatening to reduce cattle weights, traders said. However, rallies were limited as wintry weather and power outages prompted meat-packing plants to slow the slaughter […] Read more

CME April 2021 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures rally

Cold U.S. weather in focus

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. cattle futures rallied on Friday, supported by cold weather in the United States that was making it hard to put weight on animals. “Weather remains front and center for cattle producers, bitter cold temps will be with us through the weekend and also some sizable snow totals in the southeast […] Read more

CME April 2021 lean hogs with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Hogs rise to four-month high on supply woes

February live cattle down, April up

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures rose for the seventh time in eight sessions on Thursday, hitting a four-month high on concerns about tight supplies, traders said. “There are a lot of empty barns out here,” Don Roose, president of U.S. Commodities in West Des Moines, Iowa said. Live cattle futures were mixed, with […] Read more


CME April 2021 live cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Live cattle down on profit taking

Cash markets support CME lean hogs

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures dropped on a profit-taking setback on Wednesday, a day after rallying to their highest in nearly a year, but worries about a cold snap across production regions of the Plains kept declines in check. Hog futures rebounded after closing mixed on Tuesday as strong cash markets led […] Read more