Jerry Bieszk

CHICAGO, Ill. – A U.S. Department of Agriculture report March 19 gave numbers to back perceptions that American consumers are eating more pork. The USDA report showed U.S. frozen belly stocks, which are the raw product for bacon, at the end of February were 57.035 million pounds, under the low end of pre-report estimates of […] Read more

CHICAGO, Ill. – American hog futures prices fell early this week in response to a quarterly report from the United States Department of Agriculture that showed more hogs than anticipated. The increased number of pigs on farms was a combination of higher imports of Canadian feeder and slaughter animals and an increase in U.S. pigs […] Read more

CHICAGO, Ill. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture is removing a familiar component of its monthly cattle-on-feed report, a closely watched industry gauge, and emphasizing the total U.S. number, to provide what it feels is a clearer picture of the overall U.S. on-feed segment. As of Feb. 14, the traditional seven-state report, which many traders […] Read more

CHICAGO, Illinois – Exceptionally mild weather conditions in December led to a surprising gain in pigs-per-litter in the United States Department of Agriculture’s monthly hogs and pigs report, analysts said. “The pig crop is larger than I expected due entirely to more pigs per litter” during December, said Ron Plain, livestock economist at the University […] Read more

CHICAGO, Illinois -The July 27 monthly pig report from the United States Department of Agriculture shows a much larger than expected number of sows farrowing in June and a near-record number of pigs per litter. That boosted the pig crop number above trade expectations, said livestock analysts and university economists. The larger than expected numbers […] Read more

CHICAGO, Illinois -American cattle producers are more interested in the current profitable situation than in rebuilding the herd, and the result is a record amount of cattle going to feedlots. “The industry is definitely going toward selling cattle in the short term rather than building replacement herds,” said Dan Vaught, livestock analyst with AG Edwards. […] Read more

SASKATOON (Staff) – Fed cattle prices rallied last week, led by higher futures prices in Chicago. Canfax said prices opened the week on steady money but followed U.S. futures and cash prices higher. Improved beef demand and movement in the U.S. seems to have sparked the rally. Cash slaughter cattle prices in the southern Plains […] Read more