Jerry Klassen

Reading Time: 2 minutes Auction barns across Western Canada were extremely quiet last week, with many locations in holiday mode for the next couple weeks. Pastures remain in optimal conditions, given the recent rains and warm temperatures, while forage crops look very promising. Most feedlots are content with numbers and very current with production; at the same time, Alberta’s […] Read more

Reading Time: 2 minutes Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were steady to $3 per hundredweight (cwt) lower in comparison to seven days earlier, depending on the weight category. Alberta packers were buying slaughter steers in the range of $118-$122/cwt and this volatility resulted in softer bids for heavier replacements. Favourable pasture and forage conditions underpinned the market for feeders […] Read more

Reading Time: 2 minutes Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were generally steady with week-ago levels, with auction barns experiencing lower volumes. The cow-calf producer has hopes of higher prices later in summer, and with plentiful forage supplies and favourable pasture conditions, there is little incentive to move cattle to auction. Backgrounding operators have also finished liquidating fall-placed calves, resulting […] Read more

Reading Time: 2 minutes Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were generally steady to $2 per hundredweight (cwt) higher on average last week as Alberta fed cattle prices surged by $4/cwt, reaching $123.50. Feedlot margins are now clearly in positive territory for the first time since last summer and there appears to be renewed enthusiasm moving forward. Strength in wholesale […] Read more

Reading Time: 2 minutes Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were steady with week-ago levels as lower volumes were noted at all auction yards. The farmer/cattle producer was busy seeding and pasture conditions remain favourable across the Prairies. Major feedlot operators are content with current inventories into the summer months, given the feedgrain and margin uncertainty. Alberta packers bought fed […] Read more

Reading Time: 2 minutes Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were steady with week-ago levels as continued strength in fed cattle and lower available supplies continued to support the market. Favourable weather allowed seeding to progress quite rapidly in most regions of the Prairies, which resulted in lower auction market volumes. Most backgrounding operations have liquidated fall-placed calves by this […] Read more

Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta packers were buying fed cattle in the range of $119-$121 per hundredweight (cwt) last week, which was the main factor causing feeders to trade steady to $2/cwt higher. In Nebraska, slaughter steers traded at an all-time record high of $131/cwt as choice wholesale beef prices reached highs not seen since late 2003. The US. […] Read more