4/14/06 Possble B.C. mad cow impacts futures

Marketline April 14, 2006 Canadian government officials announced Thursday they are conducting confirmatory tests on a possible case of BSE in an approximately six-year old British Columbia dairy cow. A six year old animal would have been born after Canada's feed ban went into effect. That news was negative for U.S. live cattle futures but boosted feeder contracts as traders speculated that if, if, the U.S. border with Canada were to be closed, U.S. feeders would increase in price. June live cattle down 38 cents at 75-28. May feeders up 125 at 102-90. May Class III milk down two cents at 10-76. Both cattle and grain futures exchanges are closed today. Going into the long weekend wheat futures were mostly lower Thursday on some profit taking. Peter Georgantones of Investment Trading Services in Bloomington, Minnesota says dry weather in the southern Plains remains the dominant factor. Georgantones: "The 6-10 day is supposed to be more promising moisture. We are not holding our breathe and that is why the market is reluctant to give it up right now." On Thursday May Chicago wheat was down three cents at 3-57 ½. May corn down ¾ at 2-36 ¼. Portland cash white wheat steady at mostly 3-61. August new crop down a penny at 3-73. Club wheat 3-81. HRW 11.5 percent protein lower at mostly 5-09. Dark northern spring 14% protein lower at 5-57. No Portland barley bids. USDA reported Thursday that April 1st potato stocks were down 18 percent from last year in Idaho, up 11% in Washington and up 37 percent in Oregon. I'm Bob Hoff and that's Marketline on the Northwest Ag Information Network. Now this.