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DJ Livestock Update: Canada Mad-Cow Results Expected Sunday(Comtex Finance Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)WINNIPEG, Apr 14, 2006 (Dow Jones Commodities News via Comtex) --TOP STORIES Canadian Mad-Cow Test Results Expected Sunday - CFIA Test results of Canada's latest mad-cow case are expected by Sunday, said a Canadian Food Inspection Agency, or CFIA, representative. A positive finding would trigger a larger investigation. MARKET TALK: US Waits On Further Canada BSE Tests 1227 EDT [Dow Jones] - The USDA will wait for results from confirmatory tests being done on a possible new case of mad-cow disease in Canada, said USDA spokesman Ed Loyd. If the results are positive, the USDA will dispatch a team to aid in the follow-up investigation, he said. R-CALF Urges US To Stop Canada Cattle Imports On Thu News CHICAGO (Dow Jones)--In reaction to a possible new mad-cow case in Canada, R-CALF United Stockgrowers of America CEO Bill Bullard said the organization continues to call for the U.S. to close the Canadian border to live cattle imports. Potential Case of BSE Identified in Canada - CFIA WINNIPEG (Dow Jones)--A potential case of Bovine Spongiform Ecephalopathy, or mad cow disease, has been identified in Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency reported. The CFIA is currently conducting confirmatory testing of samples from a cow from British Columbia suspected of having the disease, according to a press release Thursday. Hawaii Makes Early Preparations For Bird-Flu Pandemic HONOLULU (AP)--Hawaii, both tourist mecca and western gateway to America, is ahead of many U.S. states in preparing for a possible global flu epidemic. With thousands of tourists arriving daily, many from Asia, officials here were first to start an airport flu monitoring program. Experts say the U.S. state is "in the vanguard" when it comes to preparedness. US Retail Meat: Early Start Expected For Grilling Season KANSAS CITY (Dow Jones)--Summer-like weather conditions across much of the nation this week and forecasts for a warmer-than-normal mid-April holiday weekend are expected to result in an early start to the backyard grilling season, which could boost sales of fresh meat and poultry cuts. Livestock Market Meter: Cattle Bulls; Hogs Negative Again CHICAGO (Dow Jones)--This week's livestock futures confidence readings were bullish for live cattle, but, after one week in positive territory, lean hogs returned to the bearish camp. Prior to last Thursday, hogs had a string of nine consecutive negative weeks. And cattle emotions have been positive for two weeks on ideas prices have hit bottom in the wake of an 11-week decline. PRESS RELEASE: Swift & Company Announces Agreement to Sell Non-Fed Cattle Business to XL Foods Inc. GREELEY, CO -- Swift & Company, the world's second-largest processor of fresh beef and pork products, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its non-fed cattle business, including its Omaha, Nebraska operating plant and its assets in Nampa,Idaho, to XL Foods Inc., of Alberta, Canada. Three US Packers Found In Violation In Beef Case - Report KANSAS CITY (Dow Jones)--Three major U.S. meat packers were found to be in violation of the federal Packers and Stockyards Act by a federal-court jury Wednesday in Aberdeen, S.D., according to a story on the AberdeenNews.com Web site. Packers Vow Appeals In S.D. Beef Pricing Verdict A South Dakota federal court jury awarded $9.25 million to cattle raisers Wednesday in deciding that several big meat packers had underpaid the producers for their livestock. Two of the defendant companies, Tyson Foods Inc. (TSN) and Swift & Co., vowed to appeal if the court accepted the suggested verdict. Cargill Inc. expressed disappointment at the decision. A fourth defendant, National Beef Packing Co., was found innocent of violating the federal Packers and Stockyards Act. STORIES OF INTEREST: Japan Mulls Intellectual Property Shield For Cattle Genes TOKYO (AP)--Japan is considering having the genes from four breeds of Japanese cattle declared a type of intellectual property to protect the product from mixed-breed imports, an official said Friday. Japanese cattle, prized for their quality, are collectively termed "wagyu." Austria Detected 101 H5N1 Bird Flu Cases Since Feb-Report VIENNA (AP)--One hundred and one cases of the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain have been detected in Austria since the virus first surfaced in mid-February, Austrian media reported Thursday. US Jan-Feb Pork Exports Hold 21% Gain From Same Period '05 KANSAS CITY (Dow Jones)--U.S. pork exports through the first two months of this year were up 21% from a year ago, holding the torrid pace set in January. Beef exports were up as well from a year ago, with muscle meats for January and February 66% above the same period a year ago, while total beef sales including variety meats were up 32%. THE MARKETS: Cash Hogs Pre-Open: Steady-Higher; Very Thin Trade KANSAS CITY (Dow Jones)--Cash hog prices Friday are called steady to as much as $1 per hundredweight higher, with some plants in the west reportedly in need of additional supplies to complete late Friday schedules and/or for delivery late Sunday and early Monday. CME May, June Hogs Likely Candidates For Seasonal Rally CHICAGO (Dow Jones)--Bullish Chicago Mercantile Exchange hog traders and market watchers are targeting the May and June contracts as likely recipients for an anticipated seasonal rally as the spot-April contract readies for board expiration on April 17. CME Cattle Review: Feeders Up, Most Live Cattle Dn On BSE CHICAGO (Dow Jones)--In an abbreviated session, most Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts closed slightly lower, while feeder cattle futures ended with solid gains after a press release from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said it is currently testing to confirm samples from a 6-year-old cow from British Columbia are indeed infected bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad-cow disease. MARKET TALK: Cash Cattle Trade Expanding In Neb At $134 1212 EDT [Dow Jones] - Cattle trading is expanding in Nebraska at mostly $134 dressed, according to private sources. A few trades occurred at that price Wednesday along with other sales at $132 to $133. Sources said cattle owners would not take less than that Thursday morning, and packers raised their bids to buy the cattle. The sales are up $4 to $6 from last week's prices. Bids on a live basis are at mostly $84. CME Pork Review:Hogs Mostly Up; May Bellies Limit Down CHICAGO (Dow Jones)--Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hogs closed mostly firm Thursday on short covering, spreading and position evening ahead of the three-day Good Friday/Easter holiday weekend. Pork belly futures settled sharply lower, with May down its 300-point daily price limit, on fund selling, local liquidation and sell stops. -By Curt Thacker; Dow Jones Newswires; 913-322-5178; [email protected] (END) Dow Jones Newswires 04-14-06 0839ET |