Glacier FarmMedia | MarketsFarm — While some cattle have already been put to pasture for the summer, Susanne Leclerc of Market Master Ltd. in Edmonton said there is still some buying activity for feed grains.
“It seems like we have a couple of buyers who are getting a little more aggressive in buying some feed grains for the summer months,” Leclerc explained. “It seems like you just really need to shop around because there is such differential between so many buyers out there.”
She added that deliveries are still going strong in feedlots, with many farmers in Alberta waiting for more moisture and growth before letting their cattle graze.
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To Darcy Haley, vice-president of Ag Value Brokers in Lethbridge, there are two main reasons for recent increases for feed barley and wheat. Haley said on March 12 that there’s an ongoing lack of farmer selling, plus stiff competition from the grain companies looking to export barley.
“Buyers are a little concerned (about) needing more rain and pastures are varied all over, but not spectacular,” Leclerc said.
Barley and corn are still the two grains of choice at feedlots, she said. How much they will cost will be determined by weather conditions in the coming weeks.
“It depends if we get some of the rains that are anticipated or not. It’s very much going to be a weather market depending how it plays out.”
Delivered feed barley prices in Alberta ranged from C$5.12 to C$6.97 per bushel as of May 28, up seven cents from the month before, Prairie Ag Hotwire reported. In Saskatchewan, the range was C$5.25 to C$5.50/bu., up 20 cents, while in Manitoba, feed barley cost between C$5.19 to C$5.35/bu., up 19 cents.
Delivered feed wheat prices in Alberta were C$7 to C$8.98/bu. for a monthly gain of eight cents. Saskatchewan saw an increase of five cents/bu. with prices ranging from C$7.50 to C$7.95. In Manitoba, the only price reported was C$7.24/bu., up two cents from last month but also up 12 cents from last week.
