(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Demand for feeder cattle eases

Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were down $3-$5; calves traded $2-$6 below week-ago levels. The market has come under pressure for three main reasons. Cattle on feed inventories in Alberta and Saskatchewan are 36 per cent above the five-year average. Many feedlots are comfortable with ownership levels. The drought caused about 150,000 […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Shortages leading to price increases

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Prices for feed grains are swinging higher because of shortages, according to Mike Fleischhauer of Eagle Commodities Ltd. in Lethbridge. “One thing we are sure of is we are running out of inventory, barley for sure, and we’re 11 months away from new crop,” he said. This year’s severe drought and excessive heat […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder market continues consolidation

U.S. corn northbound into Prairies

Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were relatively unchanged while calf markets were down $2-$3 on average. Feedlot inventories in Alberta and Saskatchewan are 30 per cent above the five-year average; therefore, demand is lacking moving into the main marketing period for calves. Finishing feedlots have sufficient ownership and being fairly finicky on […] Read more

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Feed weekly outlook: Canadian markets firm, waiting on U.S. corn

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Canadian feed grain bids remain strong, although end-users are only buying on a hand-to-mouth basis as they await an influx of cheaper corn imports from the U.S. “Everybody is waiting on the corn situation to figure out where we’ll go,” said Suzanne Leclerc, owner of Market Master Ltd. in Edmonton. “Buyers are buying […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder market holds value

Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $2-$4 on either side of unchanged; calf prices held value, but there were pockets like Lethbridge where values were $2-$4 higher. Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a live basis in the range of $156-$158. If an Alberta feedlot booked its feed grains in April […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Harvest lowers wheat, barley prices

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — With the hot and dry summer of 2021 now in the rearview mirror, the higher-than-normal prices for Alberta feed wheat and barley are starting to taper off as combining nears completion. “I think what we’ve been seeing for feed barley prices in (southern Alberta) is anywhere from $380 (per tonne) for October and […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Finishing feedlot demand drives yearlings higher

Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian yearlings traded $2 lower to as much as $5 higher. Strength was once again noted in southern Alberta where heavier yearlings recorded a fresh 52-week high. Calves were relatively unchanged from week-ago levels. Larger groups of quality weaned genetics traded as much $5 above average values. Feather-lite bawlers under […] Read more

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Feed weekly outlook: U.S. corn imports to supplement tight supplies

Feeders seeking barley would 'have to pay up'

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — The looming corn harvest in the United States should keep a lid on rising feed grain prices in Western Canada, with more corn expected to make its way into Canadian feedlots this winter. “U.S. corn should start landing in Lethbridge sometime in October or early November,” said Jim Beusekom, of MarketPlace Commodities at […] Read more


A corn crop near London, Ont. in July 2021. Relatively good yields down east may lead to more Prairie livestock feeders “jumping on the corn bandwagon.” (Farmtario photo by John Greig)

Feed weekly outlook: Crop estimates show severity of drought

'Corn bandwagon' filling up

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Preliminary crop yield estimates released by Statistics Canada on Monday outlined just how severely the drought in Western Canada cut into production. Mike Fleischhauer, general manager for Eagle Commodities at Lethbridge, Alta., was not at all surprised by the numbers. “I think we knew that was happening all along,” he said. “There are […] Read more

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Thunder Bay reports rare inbound grain shipment

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Grain movement at the Port of Thunder Bay included a rare inbound cargo of feed wheat, according to the port’s latest monthly report. A 12,000-tonne shipment of feed wheat was delivered to Richardson’s Current River elevator from the company’s facility in Hamilton, Ont. The wheat was said to be destined for Manitoba feedlots, […] Read more