Reading Time: 2 minutes Strength in the deferred live cattle futures has spilt over into the feeder complex. Alberta and Saskatchewan placements in the lighter weight categories are down from year-ago levels which is resulting in stronger Alberta fed cattle basis levels for next spring. These are the main factors influencing the calf markets in Western Canada.

Klassen: Western Canadian calf markets percolate higher

Saskatchewan Crop Report: Harvest nears 80 per cent despite rain
Reading Time: 2 minutes Despite rainfall across Saskatchewan, the province's harvest still advanced five points at 79 per cent complete as of Sept. 23. This year's pace is currently ahead of the five-year and 10-year averages.

Prairie forecast: Cooler, but still warmer than average
Forecast issued Sept. 25, covering Sept. 25 to Oct. 2, 2024
Reading Time: 3 minutes Despite a fairly unsettled pattern over the last forecast period, the weather models did a pretty good job of the forecast. For this forecast period, things should settle down a bit with a ridge of high pressure starting off our forecast. That doesn't mean that we won’t see any areas of low pressure, but unsurprisingly, the weather pattern is slowly shifting towards more of a fall pattern. That means quicker moving systems.

Klassen: Western Canadian feeder market demand remains firm
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ontario buying interest was evident in Manitoba yearling markets. U.S. buyers were more interested in lighter calves and were shopping for pre-conditioned groups of sizeable volume. Certain finishing operators in Alberta were more aggressive on grass yearlings after waiting for lower prices earlier in the season.

Saskatchewan pilot hunting program to help with wildlife damage
Landowners in five rural Sask. areas will have access to more licences
Reading Time: 1 minute A new pilot program in five Saskatchewan rural municipalities is launching to help landowners deal with excessive wildlife damage. The Big Game Management Extended Hunt will occur Nov. 1-10 in the RMs of Livingstone, Hazel Dell, Kelvington, Bjorkdale and Leask.

Saskatchewan crop report: Combining at about three-quarters mark
Reading Time: < 1 minute The harvest in Saskatchewan advanced 13 points for the week ended Sept. 16, at 74 per cent complete, despite rain in some parts of the province. The pace of combining was eight points behind this time last year, but 11 ahead of the five-year average.

Prairie forecast: Weather pattern has undergone a shift
Reading Time: 3 minutes This forecast period starts with one of the northwestern U.S. lows slowly lifting northwards. The unsettled weather that started the week across parts of Saskatchewan and much of southern Manitoba looks to continue. It appears the low will only move out late Friday or early Saturday. Even parts of southern Alberta my see some rainfall from this low on Wednesday.

Klassen: Discounts start to appear in the feeder market
Reading Time: 2 minutes For the week ending September 14, Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were relatively unchanged compared to seven days earlier. However, yearling quality has become quite variable resulting in a diverse price structure.

Saskatchewan crop report: Hot, dry conditions help harvest
Reading Time: 2 minutes Saskatchewan’s harvest was more than halfway finished at 61 per cent complete, although not as much as the 68 per cent complete from one year ago. The figure was higher than the 42 per cent reported last week, the five-year average of 50 per cent and the 10-year average of 46 per cent. The southwest region was the nearest to completion at 85 per cent while the northeast region’s harvest was only at 34 per cent.

Saskatchewan canary seed exports surpass C$100 million in 2023
Reading Time: 2 minutes Canary seed exports from Saskatchewan were worth over C$100 million in 2023, the provincial government announced on Sept. 11.