Oats. (Greg Berg photo)

Feed weekly outlook: Grain bids quietly drift lower

Oats still making their way into feedlots

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Prices for feed barley and wheat in Western Canada drifted lower during the week ended Wednesday. Erin Harakal, trade manager for Agfinity Inc. at Stony Plain, Alta., said a relatively milder winter across the Prairies has resulted in less consumption of feed grains in feedlots. In turn, feedlots are not purchasing as much […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Grain stocks set tone for barley, wheat

Barley expected to go bullish in April, May

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Statistics Canada’s (StatCan) grain stocks report issued earlier this week largely met trade expectations, according to Winnipeg-based independent trader Jerry Klassen. The survey-based report, which estimated the country’s grain stocks as of Dec. 31, was neutral for spring wheat, supportive of durum, and pointed toward barley being somewhat bullish come spring, he said. […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Larger supplies of backgrounded cattle weigh on feeder complex

Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded steady to $3 lower. Calf prices were quoted $5 lower to $3 higher. Backgrounded cattle appeared to have a softer tone as more numbers come on the market. Usually, the bulk of the volume for backgrounded cattle are animals over 850 lbs. However, this year, the […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Prairie markets hold steady

U.S. corn imports keep lid on domestic grains

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Feed grain markets in Western Canada have seen little change over the past few weeks. Feed barley bids across Western Canada have generally held steady over the past month, with the spot market topping out at $9.58 per bushel in Alberta, according to Prairie Ag Hotwire data. Prices in Manitoba and Saskatchewan are […] Read more


Photo: Canada Beef

Klassen: Feeder market percolates higher amid finicky buyers

Ontario feedlots bring demand for West's calves

Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded steady to $4 higher on average. Certain pockets in Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan had steer calves up $4-$8 from week-ago levels. Alberta values were relatively unchanged from seven days earlier on all weight categories. Steady demand was noted from Ontario feedlots for calves while Alberta […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Barley, wheat prices continue downward

Oats, canola meal also bound for feedlots

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — As colder temperatures descend onto the Prairies, buying activity for feed barley and wheat was just as frigid. “A lot of guys are fairly caught up with purchasing,” said Mike Fleischhauer of Eagle Commodities Inc. in Lethbridge. “You see the prices of wheat and barley start to trickle down a little bit. Corn’s […] Read more


(WPohlDesign/iStock/Getty Images)

Klassen: Feeder market’s upward trend continues

Manitoba, Saskatchewan see limited gains

Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $2-$3/cwt higher on average. Southern Alberta appeared to lead Western Canada. Prices in the Lethbridge area were up $8/cwt to as much as $15/cwt from week-ago levels. Major operations have liquidated a significant amount fed cattle and become more current with production. There was a […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Prices slip during quiet January

Shortages of trucks, drivers still trouble cattle sector

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — With January being a quiet time there’s isn’t a whole lot of direction for feed grains, according to Brandon Motz of CorNine Commodities at Lacombe, Alta. Prices for feed barley and wheat have been slowing slipping, he said — especially with feedlots not having to buy and farmers not needing to sell — […] Read more


(PBouman/iStock/Getty Images)

Klassen: Feeder market price discovery continues

Ontario buying interest leading Prairie market

Reading Time: 2 minutes In last week’s issue, we mentioned there was a large discrepancy in prices across Western Canada. Compared to the third week of December, prices in Manitoba were up $8/cwt to as much as $15/cwt, while Alberta markets were steady to $2/cwt higher. This past week, feeder prices in the eastern Prairie regions were relatively unchanged […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Corn imports still weigh on domestic feed market

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Ample corn imports from the U.S. continue to keep the western Canadian feed grain market under pressure, with barley bids in Lethbridge trending lower through the early days of 2023. “We started the year with cash barley trading at roughly $450 (per tonne) in Lethbridge, it’s since declined to roughly $435,” said Jim […] Read more