For the week ending December 6, Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were relatively unchanged compared to seven days earlier.
Many cattle feeders on both sides of the border believe that the fed cattle market will trade back up to historical highs in the second quarter of 2026. This positive sentiment along with year-end buying resulted in a firmer tone.
Calves are fleshier at this time of year but there was no slippage with strong buying interest surfacing from Ontario, Alberta and the U.S.
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Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis in the range of $485-$490/cwt delivered, up $5-$10/cwt from a week earlier. This equates to a live price range of $291-$294/cwt delivered.
A producer in northern Alberta reported a truckload of mixed steers on backgrounding grain ration with full processing and implants weighing 1,100 pounds sold for $430/cwt fob farm. The Ponoka video sale had a group of red mixed steers carrying medium flesh with a mean weight 930 pounds coming of a diet of barley and silage with full processing records valued at $454/cwt fob farm.
The Lloydminster market report included at package of 60 larger frame, tan steers carrying minimal flesh weighing 850 pounds that traded for $509/cwt. At the same sale, a group of 23 tan heifers evaluated at 807 pounds sold for $453/cwt.
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At the Ste. Rose, Manitoba, ring sale, a smaller package of 13 Simmental cross steers weighing 712 pounds dropped the gavel at $525/cwt. At the same sale, a four-pack of Charolais heifers averaging 702 pounds were last bid at $466/cwt. At the Perlich Bros Auction Mart near Lethbridge, a package of 18 red preconditioned steer calves weighing 665 pounds traded for $541/cwt.
The Vermillion Livestock Exchange reported a five-pack of tan steers clocked at 612 pounds that traded for $595/cwt. At the same sale, a smaller group of British-based heifers averaging 572 pounds sold for $557/cwt. The Lloydminster market report had a group of 105 black with white face steers averaging 598 pounds that sold for $634/cwt.
The Killarney market report included a group of 15 steers weighing 543 pounds that sold for $651/cwt. At the Ponoka sale, a group of Angus cross steers with a scale weight of 502 pounds coming off straight from their mothers with some hay and processing records moved through the ring at $682/cwt. A cattle producer in central Saskatchewan reported a smaller package of Angus blended heifers with a touch of Simmental weighing 515 pounds sold for $618 at a ring sale.
Order buyers were extremely aggressive on pen-sized packages. Alberta packers appear to be well covered for their nearby requirements. However, U.S. packers appear to need fed cattle for January and February which contributed to a stronger tone in the live cattle futures.
