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 volatility continues
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
Klassen: Feeder cattle market stabilizes
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $2 to $3 on either side of unchanged. Most auction barns held feature sales over the past week and steady demand was noted across the prairies. Calves appeared to gain momentum late in the week with favorable weather enhancing buying interest; however, yearlings were quite […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market experiences bouncing behaviour
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $2-$4 higher on average; calves traded $2 to as much as $6 higher. The feeder market has recovered after a softer tone earlier in October. Favourable weather in southern Alberta over the past week caused Lethbridge-area feedlots to step forward more aggressively, especially in the lighter […] Read more
Klassen: Limited harvest progress weighs on feeder cattle
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets were down $2 to as much as $8 in some cases. A fortuitous bounce in the barley market resulted in a softer tone for replacement cattle. It appears that the Canadian barley crop will be smaller than earlier anticipated and some of the crop will likely […] Read more
Klassen: Adverse weather tempers feeder market
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $3-$5 lower. Excessive snow in Alberta and ongoing rains across Manitoba and Saskatchewan set a negative tone. The market appeared to incorporate a risk discount, although many auction barns had limited numbers on offer. Buyers once again focused on local cattle and avoided transportation over […] Read more
USDA to probe beef market after Tyson plant fire
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue ordered an investigation into widening prices between cattle and beef on Wednesday after a recent fire at a Tyson Foods slaughterhouse in Holcomb, Kansas, shut the plant. Cattle prices have tanked because the fire temporarily eliminated a key buyer of livestock. Producers have worried that meat […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle falter under fed cattle uncertainty
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were down $2-$4 on average. The feeder cattle market was hard to define due to limited volumes; however, prices were down $2 to as much as $6 in some cases. The Aug. 9 fire at a Tyson packing plant near Holcomb, Kansas set a negative tone for […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder prices ratchet higher
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $3-$5 higher on average; however, there were a few feature sales quoted $8 to as much as $10 above week-ago levels. Finishing feedlots were fairly aggressive on backgrounded cattle, which was the main source of yearlings last week. Early grassers are starting to come on the […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
