Farms.com Home   News

2023 Cattle and hog outlook update: feed costs and demand strength lead profit uncertainty

This is the second quarterly update to our 2023 Outlook for cattle and hogs published in February. Over the last two weeks, we updated our Outlooks for dairy and major crops.

Prices for fed steers in Ontario and Alberta have continued to gain since our May outlook update. Our forecasts for each price category are also higher year-over-year (YoY) and significantly higher than their respective five-year averages. Prices for live hogs have similarly improved since May except for Manitoba feeder hogs and isoweans, bringing some relief to eastern producers. However, they’ve not yet returned to the levels we had initially forecasted in February.

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

CEOs of the Industry: John McIntire, Partner at Pike Pig Systems

Video: CEOs of the Industry: John McIntire, Partner at Pike Pig Systems

CEOs of the Industry, Jim sits down with John McIntire, Partner at Pike Pig Systems, one of the most quietly impressive 26,000-sow operations in the U.S. John shares how he grew from operator to partner, how Pike built a people-first culture with long-tenured managers, and why they’re committed to weaning bigger, stronger pigs at 25+ days.

John breaks down how Pike stays efficient in a tough economic environment, the power of their shareholder-owned farm model, and how their work with PIC and a 240-head boar facility drives genetics and health outcomes. He also opens up about the innovations Pike adopts — and how they decide what’s truly valuable versus industry hype.

From Prop 12 and labor challenges to trade, consumer expectations, and sustainability, John chooses a hot-button issue and shares how Pike is preparing for the future. The episode closes with a rapid-fire “Fast Five” — mindset, leadership, daily habits, and three words that define Pike Pig Systems in 2025.

If you want a look inside a people-driven, purpose-driven, quietly elite pork system, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.