Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian prices for yearling and heavier calves were down $2-$4 on average. The calf market was hard to define; Alberta markets traded $3 lower to $4 higher but notable strength was evident in Saskatchewan and Manitoba where values were steady to $4 higher. Favourable weather contributed to higher auction market […] Read more
Klassen: Uncertain beef demand weighs on feeder market
Klassen: Feeder market remains under pressure
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle prices were steady to $3 lower in Alberta while prices eroded by $2-$5 in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Noticeable weakness was evident in yearling prices, while grass cattle experienced limited slippage. Backgrounding operators are starting to liquidate fall-placed calves. Quality was quite variable, with fleshier cattle experiencing sharper […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market lacks buying interest
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $2-$5 lower on average. Values in Alberta were relatively unchanged but markets in the eastern Prairie regions appeared to trade $4 to as much as $6 below week-ago levels. Alberta yearlings were relatively unchanged, but noticeable slippage was noted in the non-major feeding regions. Feedlots […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market remains firm
Reading Time: 2 minutes Feeder cattle markets experienced light volumes during the final week of December and prices were relatively unchanged compared to week-ago levels. Yearling values were slightly softer, as these cattle will not have enough time to be ready for the April fed market. Buying interest for mid-weight categories was characterized as sluggish, while light-weight bawlers were […] Read more
Klassen: Improving margins support lightweight feeder cattle
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $2 to $4 on either side of unchanged; however, calves under 650 pounds were steady to as much as $5 higher. Bids from Alberta packers were sharply higher with fed cattle trading in the range of $160 to $162 on Friday, up $5 to $6 […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market volatility continues
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded steady to $5 higher on average. For the second week in a row, the markets were quite variable across the Prairies but shorter-keep yearlings appeared to lead the charge higher. In Alberta, quality 900-lb. steers were once again touching the $190 level and 800-lb.-plus steers […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market under weight of imports
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $5 lower to $2 higher. It’s that time of year when most feedlots are carrying sufficient numbers and buyers are hesitant to increase ownership unless they can see profitability. Auction market volumes contained weaned and unweaned calves over the past week; premiums returned for feeders […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market drops on soft demand
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets were down $4-$6 while calf prices dropped $5 to as much as much as $10 in some cases. Comments from order buyers reflect very sluggish demand for this time of year. Ontario farmers have harvested about 50 per cent of the corn crop and buying interest from […] Read more
Klassen: Challenging weather influencing feeder market
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were relatively unchanged; calves appeared to trade $3 lower to as much as $5 higher. Weather conditions have played a larger role in the price structure this fall. Major finishing feedlots continue to focus on preconditioned calves and have left the unweaned or unvaccinated feeders to the […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market consolidation continues
Reading Time: 2 minutes Western Canadian feeder cattle markets were unchanged from week-ago levels. Larger pre-sort calf sales were held across the prairies. Buying interest was barely sufficient to support the market at the current levels. The risk tolerance shifted from medium to low this past week. Discounts appeared to be more severe on unweaned and unvaccinated calves. Colder […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
