Reading Time: 2 minutes For the week ending May 31, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded steady to as much as $10 lower on average. Dryer grass conditions in certain regions of Manitoba and central and northern Saskatchewan may have contributed to the softer tone at certain locations. Many feedlot operators continue to sit on their hands for the […] Read more

Klassen: Feeding margin uncertainty weighs on feeder cattle market

Klassen: Feeder cattle market ratchets higher on stronger fed market
Reading Time: 2 minutes For the week ending June 8, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $3 to $6 above week-ago levels. In certain locations, quality packages of 600 pound plus steers were $8 to $10 higher compared to seven days earlier. Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis at $440/cwt, up $2/cwt from the previous […] Read more

Klassen: Feeder market remains firm on fed cattle strength
Alberta's disastrous wildfires may disrupt calf marketings
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, western Canadian prices for yearlings over 800 lbs. were quoted steady to $4 higher; feeders between 600-800 lbs. were relatively unchanged while calves under 600 lbs. were $5-$10 higher. The market for calves under 600 lbs. was hard to define due to limited volumes. Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on […] Read more

Mintec acquires Agribriefing to expand agrifood data offering
Reading Time: < 1 minute Paris | Reuters — British market intelligence firm Mintec announced on Tuesday the acquisition of Agribriefing in a deal it said would create a leading global provider of data on agricultural and food markets. Financial details were not disclosed. Agribriefing’s businesses include protein price-reporting agency Urner Barry and crop consultancy Strategie Grains, the latter acquired […] Read more

Klassen: Feeder cattle market experiences weather volatility
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, Western Canadian yearling prices traded $3 to $4 on either side of side of unchanged while calves traded $5 lower to as much as $6 higher. The calf market tends to experience a seasonal bounce every November. In certain cases, buyers appeared to step forward more aggressively last week in anticipation […] Read more

Klassen: Alberta feedlot backlog limits demand for feeder cattle
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, Western Canadian yearling prices traded steady to $2 lower on average while calf markets were down $3 to $5. Feedlots in Alberta and Saskatchewan are backed up with significant numbers of market ready fed cattle which has set a negative tone for replacement cattle. Carcass weights are nearing historical highs. Barley […] Read more

Klassen: Light test of feeder cattle reflects hot demand
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, Western Canadian yearling prices were relatively unchanged; prices for mid-weight calves were $2 to $5 higher. Calves under 550 pounds were up $6 to $8 on average while feather light bawlers were up a sold $10 above week-ago levels. Weaker feed grain prices along with strength in the deferred live cattle […] Read more

Argentina extends beef export cap, stoking farm tensions
Move seen as 'giving markets to other countries'
Reading Time: 2 minutes Buenos Aires | Reuters — Argentina extended beef export restrictions until the end of October on Tuesday, stoking tensions with the powerful farm sector as the government seeks to bolster domestic meat supply to help contain rising food prices. The move comes months before key mid-term elections, with centre-left President Alberto Fernandez keen to avoid […] Read more

Klassen: Yearlings hold value while calves remain under pressure
Reading Time: 2 minutes Compared to last week, Western Canadian yearling prices were relatively unchanged while calves were once again $2 to $4 lower. Featherlight bawlers were down $4 to as much as $8 from week-ago levels. The tight feed grain supply situation continues to set the price structure for feeder cattle. Yearlings straight off grass held a slight […] Read more

Auction marts urged to introduce social distance
Cattle are still flowing through auction marts as scheduled
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Livestock Markets Association of Canada wants to see more social distance at auction marts in the wake of COVID-19. The association has released an emergency response policy, asking its members to implement social distancing and prevention measures against the virus. “What we are looking at is trying to get a consistent message out to […] Read more