Hog futures climb ahead of grilling season demand - CME

Apr 21, 2025

Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) live cattle futures rose on Monday, extending the rally from the previous session, on strong wholesale beef prices and a higher close on Wall Street that lifted optimism about consumer demand for meat, Reuters reported, citing traders.

CME June live cattle futures settled up 2.275 cents to end at 199.075 cents per pound and May feeder cattle futures ended 2.250 cents higher at 280.950 cents per pound.

In the beef market, choice cuts of boxed beef rose $1.41 to $335.63 per hundredweight (cwt) and select cuts rose $1.89 to $315.85 per cwt on Monday afternoon, according to data from the US Department of Agriculture.

"The boxed beef showed a little bit of stability," said independent trader Dan Norcini, adding that strength in equity markets lent support to cattle futures as well.

"It has taken some of the fear factor out, when the stock market is not imploding."

A seasonal uptick in demand for meat likely added to bullish sentiment, Norcini said, noting that retailers will soon need to stock their meat cases with supplies for Mothers Day, Memorial Day and summertime grilling.

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Video: You Be The Judge: Evaluating 8 Breeding Rams!

It's time for some honest feedback here at Ewetopia Farms! Today, we’re showing you all eight rams we used for breeding this year. Instead of just presenting them, we thought it would be fun to create a “Ram Report Card” — where we point out both their strengths and areas for improvement.

But here’s the twist: you be the judge! In the comments, let us know what you like about each ram and what you think could be improved. No ram is ever perfect, but every one of them brings something valuable to the flock. By sharing perspectives, we all learn more about what to look for in good breeding stock.

At Ewetopia Farms, we raise registered Suffolk and Polled Dorset sheep, focusing on high-quality genetics, structure, and friendly temperaments. Evaluating breeding rams is part of the bigger picture of building stronger flocks — and we’re excited to share the process with you.

If you enjoy seeing how we evaluate our animals, follow along by subscribing to our channel. We share daily insights into the joys and challenges of sheep farming here in Canada.