Live cattle- With the high input costs of escalating corn prices and high priced feeder cattle, feedlots and cattle producers trying to increase their marketing efforts. Weekly export sales will be of more importance as the trade will want to measure if the high price levels are curbing demand. Basis levels should remain very tight and likely will narrow further as producers have essentially completed the harvest and safely tucked the crop away in storage. Prices will work higher into the...

The 7th annual conference, to be held March 27 and 28, attracts pork producers and their suppliers from across western Canada seeking practical solutions to production challenges. The conference has international caliber speakers in the areas of maximising throughput in pig production systems and optimising the cost of production. The programme includes presentations on balancing costs and revenue within the production systems, management of large groups, impact of energy efficiency, and...

Keith Massey, a crop farmer and hog producer from Columbus Junction in southeast Iowa, contracted the bacterial disease brucellosis from his sows that were exposed to wild pigs. Feral swine, numbering an estimated 4 million nationwide, can spread disease if they come in contact with domestic pigs. Wild hogs roaming through at least 39 states are lately alarming wildlife officials by their population growth in northern states, such as Iowa and Michigan. Under a national wildlife disease...

The USDA s final estimate of the 2006 production not only shocked the market, but also scared end users into aggressively scrambling for coverage via the cash markets, futures and options markets. With corn rallying to buy acres this spring, soybeans will try to keep pace with corn as not to lose out on seeded acres. With the smaller production figure, the USDA also lowered projected ending stocks for this marketing year to the second-smallest in history at 752 million bu. producers will...

Farm forum highlights state's Ag initiatives Kevin Howell Reporter Area farmers and farm interests from as far away as Lake County were treated to a free lunch and state agricultural highlights Friday during a Lafayette Bank and Trust-sponsored Farm Forum. Farm forum highlights state's Ag initiatives Kevin Howell Reporter Area farmers and farm interests from as far away as Lake County were treated to a free lunch and state agricultural highlights Friday during a Lafayette Bank and...