Insights and Stories on Cattle

Piglets aborted, chickens gassed as pandemic slams meat sector

Apr. 28, 2020 at 3:24 pm CDT

Chicago | Reuters — With the pandemic hobbling the meat-packing industry, Iowa farmer Al Van Beek had nowhere to ship his full-grown pigs to make room for the 7,500 piglets he expected from his breeding operation. The crisis forced a decision that still troubles him: He ordered his employees to […]

U.S. livestock: Hogs limit up on fears of tightening supplies

Apr. 27, 2020 at 7:42 pm CDT

By Julie Ingwersen

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures weaken, hog contracts rise

Apr. 23, 2020 at 6:51 pm CDT

By Mark Weinraub

U.S. livestock: Lean hog, live cattle futures fall on plant shutdowns

Apr. 22, 2020 at 4:39 pm CDT

By Mark Weinraub

U.S. livestock: Hog futures firm

Apr. 21, 2020 at 5:06 pm CDT

By Mark Weinraub

Klassen: Uncertainty defines feeder market

Apr. 21, 2020 at 12:51 pm CDT

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were down $3-`$5 on average while calves were unchanged to down $2. Sales were characterized by low volumes and limited buying interest. Feedlot operators are hesitant to step forward in the current environment, with packing plants on both sides of the border […]

By Jerry Klassen

U.S. livestock: Hog futures rise on supply woes

Apr. 20, 2020 at 5:42 pm CDT

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures rallied on Monday, with supply expected to tighten after another slaughterhouse was shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, traders said. “If we have packers up and running we know we have the domestic demand,” said Ted Seifried, chief market strategist for Zaner […]

By Mark Weinraub

Cargill to temporarily idle High River beef plant

Apr. 20, 2020 at 5:07 pm CDT

Reuters — Cargill Ltd. said Monday it had begun the process of temporarily idling its beef plant at High River, Alta. because of the COVID-19 outbreak as provincial health officials said hundreds of workers at the plant had become infected. In her daily media update, Alberta chief medical officer Deena […]

By Kelsey Johnson

U.S. livestock: Cattle mixed on hopes of economic reopening

Apr. 17, 2020 at 7:18 pm CDT

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live and feeder cattle futures ended mixed on Friday, with nearby contracts pressured by coronavirus-related disruptions at packing plants, while hopes for a reopening of the economy lifted deferred contracts. Actively traded June live cattle ended higher on the week, for a second straight week, […]

By Christopher Walljasper

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures rebound to one-week high

Apr. 16, 2020 at 7:43 pm CDT

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live and feeder cattle futures jumped to one-week highs on Thursday as the markets extended rebounds after diving recently on concerns about the new coronavirus backing up livestock on farms. Hog futures remained under pressure from disruptions caused by the virus, which has shut pork […]

By Tom Polansek