The number of cattle populating feedlots in Alberta and Saskatchewan moved slightly higher in October, fulfilling a seasonal tendency to bottom in September but falling short of the number on feed a year earlier. The data came from CanFax, a private data and consulting firm in Canada, and was disseminated by the Livestock Marketing Information … Read More

US economic activity expanded modestly from October through mid-November, similar to the pace of growth seen over the prior reporting period, said the US Federal Reserve Bank in its latest Beige Book. Most Federal Reserve districts reported stable to moderately growing consumer spending, and increases in auto sales and tourism were seen across several districts, … Read More

With the US corn and soybean harvests way behind normal because of this year’s wet weather conditions, the Illinois Farm Policy News reported that propane shortages continue to exacerbate the problem. On Monday, Reuters reported that, “Regional shortages of propane, which is used for heating homes and barns and by farmers to dry their crops, … Read More

The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service this month released a study of current US mandatory fed cattle price reporting and has announced its intentions to hold a stakeholder meeting of the study’s findings and recommendations. An AMS release said the meeting was to be held on Dec. 12 at the USDA’s National Grain Center in Kansas … Read More

Total red meat supplies in US refrigerated warehouses on Oct. 31 were up 1% from the previous month but down 1% from last year, said the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service in the monthly Cold Storage report Friday. Total pounds of beef in freezers were down 1% from the previous month and down 10% from … Read More

Data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that retail prices for meats were 69.07% higher in 2019 than in 2000, a $13.81 difference in value, but no one in the production and distribution chain got all of that. However, it’s clear that growth in livestock producers’ portion of the pie grew much more … Read More

Cow/calf producers can increase the health and value of their calves by being diligent with their health procedures, overcoming obstacles to increase returns at the time of sale, said a prominent university agricultural economist in a letter to Extension Agents. Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist, said in the Cow/Calf Corner lifetime … Read More