Reading Time: 3 minutes This forecast period starts with a broad, cool area of high pressure stretching across the Prairie provinces. The cool air combined with strong mid-summer sunshine is leading to partly cloudy skies along with the odd shower or thundershower.
Prairie forecast: Seasonably cool with chances of precipitation
Forecast issued July 16, covering July 16 to 23, 2025
Klassen: Western Canadian calf markets surge on New World screwworm fears
Reading Time: 2 minutes For the week ending July 12, Western Canadian yearling markets traded steady to $5 higher compared to seven days earlier. Calves weighing 550-800 pounds were quoted $5 lower to as much as $10 higher.
Prairie forecast: Potential to turn cool and wet
Forecast issued July 9, covering July 9 to 16, 2025
Reading Time: 3 minutes For this forecast period we are starting off with a large area of high pressure over Ontario and an equally large area of low pressure over the Yukon. The clockwise flow around the Ontario high, combined with the counterclockwise flow around the Yukon low, is creating a widespread southerly flow across the Prairies. This should lead to one more day of warm temperatures across the western Prairies and a couple more days over the eastern half.
Klassen: Feeder market may have overextended to the upside
Reading Time: 2 minutes For the week ending July 4, there were no feeder cattle sales in Western Canada due to holidays on July 1 and July 4. Major auction markets in the U.S. were also closed or had limited numbers on offer. Prices quoted from south of the border were steady to $4 higher on average but the market was hard to define.
Prairie forecast: Stormy start to the west, summer heat to the east
Forecast issued July 2, covering July 2 to 9, 2025
Reading Time: 3 minutes We start this forecast period with warm high pressure in place across the eastern Prairies and a developing area of low pressure over Alberta.
Federal byelection called in Alberta’s Battle River-Crowfoot riding
Conservative leader Poilievre to to be on ballot after MP resigns seat
Reading Time: < 1 minute A federal byelection has been called in the Alberta riding of Battle River-Crowfoot where Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre will seek to regain a seat in Parliament.
Alberta Crop Report: Conditions improve
Crop conditions still behind historical averages
Reading Time: 2 minutes Crop conditions improved in Alberta during the week ended June 24, but they are still behind historical averages.
Klassen: Feeder market eyes deferred delivery prices
Reading Time: 2 minutes For the week ending June 28, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets were relatively unchanged compared to seven days earlier. Volumes moving through the ring were limited and the quality was quite variable.
Beef check-off rules to change in Alberta, Saskatchewan and B.C.
Aug. 1 changes will keep check-off dollars in seller’s home province
Reading Time: < 1 minute Beef check-off rates in B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan will change to align with the seller's home province as of August 1, regardless of where the sale takes place.
Prairie forecast: Looking warm and dry for Canada Day
Forecast issued June 25, covering June 25 to July 2, 2025
Reading Time: 3 minutes A broad but unorganized area of low pressure impacts all three Prairie provinces for at least the first half of this forecast period. Unsettled weather means it will be a difficult forecast to pin down. It also means seasonable temperatures with no big intense heat waves expected—though that doesn’t mean we won’t see a few hot days.
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
