Hog futures ease for second session - CME

Aug 28, 2023

Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) live cattle futures eased on Tuesday after two sessions higher, as traders watch to see the impact of sweltering temperatures on slaughter-ready cattle, Reuters reported, citing analysts.

"The heat does hurt the weights. That's been an issue for a lot of the south, for a lot of the summer," said Don Roose, president of US Commodities.

Most-active October live cattle slid 1.250 cents to 178.625 cents per pound. September feeder cattle dipped 1.325 cents to close at 249.000 cents per pound.

Beef packer margins declined versus Monday and a week ago, falling to 47.30 per head, according to Denver-based Hedgers Edge.

Boxed beef prices firmed, with choice cuts adding $1.49 to $317.05 per hundredweight (cwt), while select cuts gained $2.18 to $289.51 per cwt., according to the US Department of Agriculture.

Cattle slaughter fell to 124,000 head, down from 125,000 a week earlier and 127,00 the same period last year, the USDA said.

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Video: WARNING! Rough Start To Breeding Season!!

WARNING! Sheep Breeding Season Begins With A Bang! Breeding season is officially underway at Ewetopia Farms, but it didn’t exactly start the way we planned!

This vlog begins with us sorting through our rams to find the perfect match for a customer’s breeding program. What should have been routine quickly turned dangerous when one of our more nervous rams panicked. In seconds, Arnie’s knee was injured, and then I was slammed hard onto the concrete floor — both of us taken down by one ram!

Thankfully, it was just bruises, but it’s a reminder of how unpredictable and powerful mature rams can be. Once we recovered, it was time to get back to the real work — the start of breeding season.

We sorted the ewes into four breeding groups (two Suffolk and two Dorset), checking parentage as they ran through the chute, deworming those that needed it, and setting aside thinner ewes for session two of breeding season in a month’s time.This staggered approach keeps lambing organized and prevents overcrowding in the barns.

From rogue rams to the excitement of new breeding groups, this episode is full of action. Stay tuned for the next vlog, where we’ll share how we chose the rams for each group!