Reading Time: 2 minutes For the week ending February 17, Western Canadian prices for yearlings and backgrounded cattle were quoted $2-$4/cwt higher than seven days earlier.
Klassen: Feeder market shows signs of herd expansion
Some buyers suggest some heifers are being purchased for breeding
Feed grain weekly: Buyers waiting longer to purchase more grain
U.S. corn shipments continue to put pressure on feed prices
Reading Time: 2 minutes Buying activity for feed barley and feed wheat in Western Canada is moving slowly and prices continue to decline, according to Susanne Leclerc, owner of Market Master Ltd. in Edmonton.
Prairie forecast: Dry and mild west, seasonal east
Issued Feb. 14, covering Feb 14 to 21, 2024
Reading Time: 3 minutes If you haven’t noticed, it has been an unusual winter, and that unusualness is causing all sorts of headaches with weather forecasting. In particular, cloud cover. In the last forecast period, it looked as if high pressure would dominate the weather bringing plenty of clear skies along with more seasonable temperatures.
Klassen: Feeder market continues to climb
Canadian values appear to be one week behind the U.S. market
Reading Time: 2 minutes For the week ending February 10, Western Canadian the market for yearlings over 800 pounds was $3/cwt to $6/cwt compared to a week earlier. Feeder cattle suited for grass and calves were up $8/cwt to as much as $25/cwt in some cases compared to the week prior. Quality steers averaging 600 pounds were readily trading in the range of $410-$425 up from the range of $380-$395 last week.
Prairie wheat weekly outlook: Prices down, especially for durum
Weaker Canadian dollar lends support, K.C., Chicago and Minneapolis wheat put pressure on prices
Reading Time: 2 minutes Wheat prices across the Canadian Prairies pulled back during the week ended Feb. 8. While there were moderate declines in Canadian Western Red Spring Wheat and Canada Prairie Red Spring Wheat, there were sharper losses for Canadian Western Amber Durum.
Prairie forecast: Stormy start in the east, slightly cooler west
Issued Feb. 7, covering Feb. 7 to 14, 2024
Reading Time: 4 minutes You can’t say it has been a strange and interesting winter. First, we saw a wintery end to October, then fall moved back in for most of November and December before we finally saw a big old shot winter in mid-January. Now we have been dealing with spring like conditions over the last two weeks – what’s next? Well, it looks like winter is going to try and make a comeback.
Klassen: Canadian feeder market jumps on USDA data
The U.S. cattle herd reached lowest head count since 1950s, trade anticipates heifer retention
Reading Time: 2 minutes For the week ending February 2, Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were up $6/cwt to $12/cwt from seven days earlier. Certain pockets of Western Canada had grass cattle trading $12/cwt to as much as $20/cwt above the previous week.
Prairie forecast: A little more heat, then slow cool down
Issued Jan. 31, 2024. Covers Jan. 31 to Feb. 7
Reading Time: 4 minutes The big question for this forecast period is whether these mild temperatures will continue, or we see a return to more seasonable mid-winter temperatures? All I can say is that spring isn’t quite here yet.
Klassen: Positive fed outlook buoys feeder market
Market telling producers to own lighter cattle sooner rather than later
Reading Time: 2 minutes Western Canadian feeder cattle prices for 800-pound plus cattle were $2/cwt to $4/cwt higher on average for the week ending January 27. Feeders in the 500-800-pound category were up $3/cwt to $6/cwt with higher quality groups up as much as $10/cwt in some cases. Feeders 500 pounds and lower were unchanged from seven days earlier.
Alberta expands livestock drought recovery supports
Only a narrow band of the province remains exempt from the aid program
Reading Time: 2 minutes The 2023 Canada-Alberta Drought Livestock Assistance initiative, funded through the AgriRecovery framework by the federal and provincial governments, offers payments of up to $150 per head to livestock producers who have 15 or more animals per type of livestock, and have altered usual grazing practices for more than 21 days due to drought.
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
