Hog prices steady
U.S. cash hog prices steadied last week but remained under pressure from ample supply and unimpressive demand. Some slaughter plants closed for Good Friday, reducing the weekly slaughter total.
Iowa-southern Minnesota hogs delivered were US$43 per hundredweight April 2, steady with March 27.
U.S. hogs averaged $57.12 on a carcass basis April 2, up from $55.28 March 27.
The U.S. pork cutout dropped to $64.44 April 2, down from $65.35 per cwt. March 27.
The estimated U.S. weekly slaughter for the week to April 4 was 2.199 million, down from 2.270 million the previous week.
Read Also
Government support for Canadian farmers has plummeted
Subsidies in Canada were 30 per cent of gross farm receipts in 1980s and are now around eight per cent
Slaughter was 2.014 million last year at the same time.
Workers at Olymel’s Vallee-Jonction, Que., plant have voted to return to work after a two-week strike.
The plant employs more than 1,000 people over two shifts.
It has a weekly slaughtering capacity of 35,000 pigs.
The new agreement, reached with the help of a provincial labour conciliator, is for six years.
Bison
The Canadian Bison Association report was not available.
New lambs steady
Ontario Stockyards Inc. reported that 2,473 sheep and lambs and 287 goats traded March 30. All well-fed new crop lambs and good lightweight kid goats sold in premium ranges.
Other goats, heavy lambs and good sheep traded steady. Thin and fat sheep sold under pressure.
