A slump in U.S. beef production results in record Australian meat exports and big bucks for processors and producers
COOMA, Australia (Reuters) — In a refrigerated room, around two dozen employees in hats, gloves and blue plastic aprons carve and pack carcasses into boxes within minutes of their slaughter. The Monbeef slaughterhouse, owned by Bindaree Food Group and located about 100 kilometres south of Canberra, Australia, processes approximately 200 cattle a day, up from […] Read moreTag Archives beef production
Beef markets strong but instability expected
Volatility may increase this year, particularly if heifer placements remain high along with fed marketings in the U.S.
MEDICINE HAT — Beef prices are up and demand remains strong, according to the latest Canfax market report, but dry conditions in cattle-producing regions across the globe are affecting markets. “We’ve reached new record highs in 2023 with both fed and feeder prices surpassing the previous highs made in 2015,” said Canfax executive director Breanna […] Read more
Lighter carcasses offset cattle slaughter numbers
The Canadian cattle industry is in that sweetest of spots — all sectors are making money. How long that will last is tricky to predict, market analyst Anne Wasko told those at a Nov. 15 Cow-Calfenomics session organized by Alberta Agriculture. The fall calf run was better than expected, feeders are doing well after a […] Read more
Beef herd expands slightly
The Canadian beef herd has shown a slight expansion of 1.3 percent compared to last summer, making it the first year-over-year increase since 2012. The Statistics Canada livestock inventory report released today reported growth in the cattle and hog sectors but a decline for the sheep business. The beef herd is at 13.2 million head […] Read more
Cattle producers go partially promotant-free
Manitoba farm implants steers, but not heifers in an effort to respond to consumer demands for more natural beef
FISHER BRANCH, Man. — It’s not an absolute rule, but most farm decisions are based on money. Producers will abandon the old way of doing things or adopt a novel technology if it makes the farm more profitable. Betty and Robert Green have decided to break that rule. The Greens raise half of their cattle […] Read more
Herd expansion crawls in volatile markets
A strong demand for quality grain fed beef and record large cow-calf profit margins may encourage larger herds
SASKATOON — Beef production through 2016 should be relatively stable as the cattle cycle slowly moves into an expansion phase, says Canfax research services manager Brenna Grant. Significantly reduced feeder exports through the second half of 2015 offset last year’s reduced calf crop, she told the Saskatchewan Beef Industry Conference. Last year also saw a […] Read moreEfficiency could bring Brazilian cattle boom
Brazil slaughters more than 40 million cattle per year, but carcass weights are below North America’s
STRATHMORE, Alta. — Brazil could expand its behemoth beef industry if its cow herd was more productive. “We are big but we are not efficient,” said Flavio Santos, an animal nutritionist at Sao Paulo University in Brazil who recently met with Canadian beef producers in Strathmore and described the new grazing concepts that are being […] Read more
Mycotoxin levels in feed need scrutiny
There are still more questions than answers about safe levels of mycotoxins in livestock feed, says John McKinnon, beef industry chair at the University of Saskatchewan. Problems with ergot and fusarium contamination have been increasing across the Prairies in the past few years, likely because of climatic conditions. There are guidelines for recommended tolerance levels, […] Read more
