Compared to last week, yearling prices were steady to as much as $4 lower depending on the region in Western Canada. Alberta packers were buying fed cattle at an average price of $252 on a dressed basis, down $6-$8 from last week and down about $20 from the last week of January. Weakness in fed […] Read more
Klassen: Calf prices divorce from yearling markets
Analyzing the cattle-on-feed reports
Market Update with Jerry Klassen: What looks like bearish news is sometimes the opposite
The Alberta and Saskatchewan cattle-on-feed reports can provide valuable information for cow-calf producers and backgrounding operators. Finishing feedlots often pay attention to the main numbers in the cattle-on-feed reports but fail to look at fine details such as the feeder cattle placements by weight category. In some cases, media reports suggest the report is bearish […] Read more
Klassen: Uncertain beef demand weighs on feeder market
Compared to last week, western Canadian prices for yearling and heavier calves were down $2-$4 on average. The calf market was hard to define; Alberta markets traded $3 lower to $4 higher but notable strength was evident in Saskatchewan and Manitoba where values were steady to $4 higher. Favourable weather contributed to higher auction market […] Read more
Stronger fed cattle market supports feeders
Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Market-ready supplies to go from one extreme to the other
As January unfolded, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle in the range of $275 to $280 on a dressed basis and $165 to $168 on a live basis. Prices are trading near 52-week highs and up approximately $10 on a live basis from mid-December. Feedlot margins are hovering between $40 to $60 per head. Market-ready […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market remains under pressure
Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle prices were steady to $3 lower in Alberta while prices eroded by $2-$5 in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Noticeable weakness was evident in yearling prices, while grass cattle experienced limited slippage. Backgrounding operators are starting to liquidate fall-placed calves. Quality was quite variable, with fleshier cattle experiencing sharper […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market lacks buying interest
Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $2-$5 lower on average. Values in Alberta were relatively unchanged but markets in the eastern Prairie regions appeared to trade $4 to as much as $6 below week-ago levels. Alberta yearlings were relatively unchanged, but noticeable slippage was noted in the non-major feeding regions. Feedlots […] Read more
Klassen: Large feedlot inventories lower feeder demand
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $2-$3 on either side of unchanged and mid-weight feeders (600-850 lbs.) were steady to $2 lower, but calves under 600 lbs. were unchanged to as much as $10 lower. Prices were quite variable across the Prairies, which made the market hard to define. The market appeared […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market starts 2020 on steady tone
Compared to last week, short-keep replacement cattle and feeders in the mid-weight categories were steady to $3 lower on average; feeder cattle under 600 lbs. traded $2 lower to as much as $5 higher. Featherlight calves remain strong trading at similar levels to late December. Most auction markets resumed their regular sales schedules last week. […] Read more
Demand continues for U.S. beef
Market Update with Jerry Klassen: American consumers have more disposable income
As of mid-December, Alberta fed cattle were trading in the range of $152 to $155, up approximately $10 to $12 from a month earlier. The February and April live cattle futures continued to trade near contract highs due to the uncertainty in beef production during the first quarter of 2020. It appears that beef production […] Read more
Klassen: Fed cattle market underpins feeder cattle prices
Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis at an average price of $275 delivered, which equates to $165 on a live basis. Fed cattle prices are now at 52-week highs and feeding margins are in the range of $50 to $70 per head. Strength in the cash fed cattle market was supportive […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
