Cattle markets shift from bear to bull - ranchers set to benefit

Jun 09, 2023

What a difference a year makes.

A year ago, ranchers were being squeezed by tight margins and profits - if any - were slim at best.

This year market prices for calves have been rocketing upwards into the stratosphere and with any luck later this fall ranchers are set to cash in.

“There is a fair bit of optimism this year. The markets have improved. They are much stronger this year right across the board compared to a year ago,” Garner Deobald president of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association said.

The two day AGM was held Monday and Tuesday, June 5-6, at the Moose Jaw Exhibition Grounds.

Improved soil moisture conditions, as well as access to water, has most ranchers looking forward to what is shaping up to be a better year, he said.

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Video: Season 7, Episode 1: Managing Risk and Seeing Opportunities in U.S. Pork Production

Today’s episode features three guests discussing the similarities and differences between pork production in the United States and Brazil, along with strategies for managing risk in today’s industry while recognizing and acting on opportunities. First, Dr. Anne Caroline de Lara, executive manager of live pig production at Seara Alimentos, a JBS company in Brazil, is joined by Dr. Matthew Turner, head of operations for JBS Live Pork. Together, they discuss how labor, climate and ventilation challenges vary between Brazil and the United States, while underscoring their shared commitment to raising healthy pigs. They also point to lessons producers in both countries can take from one another’s systems and on-farm experiences. Then, Brady Reicks, risk manager at Reicks View Farms, shares his perspective on risk management, drawing from his background in markets and his transition into farming. He discusses how protecting margins varies by operation and offers practical approaches producers can use to make marketing and business decisions with greater confidence rather than hesitation.

Both conversations were recorded at recent industry events focused on swine livability, including the International Conference on Pig Livability and Iowa Swine Day.