For the week ending December 20, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets were steady to $10 weaker compared to seven days earlier. For the second week in a row, the price range was quite wide for similar weight cattle.
Larger operations were focused on pre-conditioned vaccinated cattle given the adverse weather conditions. The quality of cattle on offer was quite variable with smaller packages surfacing. Year-end buying was evident in some cases on lower flesh higher quality feeders.
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Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis at $495/cwt delivered, relatively unchanged from the prior week. Using a 60 per cent grading, this equates to a live price of $297/cwt. Ontario packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis at $520/cwt. Ontario demand set the price structure in Manitoba and Eastern Saskatchewan resulting in a premium over Alberta markets.
The Ste Rose Auction Mart in Manitoba, had a four-pack of red steers weighing 820 pounds that traded for $494/cwt. At the Ponoka sale, a dozen black steers weighing 868 pounds traded for $444/cwt.
North of Calgary, a smaller package of Charolais based steers coming off cows and hay weighing just over 740 pounds apparently traded for $540/cwt. At the Ste Rose Auction, the market report had a group of 42 Simmental cross steers with a mean weight of 730 pounds were valued at $553/cwt.
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The Rimbey market report included a 13 pack of Angus cross Simmental, short-weaned, heifers coming off hay diet evaluated at 655 pounds notched the board at $490/cwt. At the Lloydminster sale, a group of 37 tan steers scaled at 650 pounds traded for $592/cwt.
At the Vermillion Livestock Exchange pre-sort sale, 14 black heifers averaging 568 pounds traded for $597/cwt. At the same location, a five pack of British based steers on the card at 538 pounds were last bid $650/cwt.
In Central Saskatchewan, a smaller package of Charolais steers weighing just over 500 pounds apparently traded for $718/cwt.
Adverse weather in Southern Alberta over the past couple of weeks has resulted in softer buying interest.
