Better rainfall has meant more feed on much of the Prairies, but creep feeding beef calves still pays well in 2025.
Tag Archives calf prices
Beef calf creep feeding pays good profits in 2025
Better Bunks and Pastures: With calf values high, creep feeding makes even more sense
Ratios help tell the financial story on beef farms
Costs of Production: Benchmarks provide evaluations of how costs relate to income
Beef operation ratios such as gross margin, gross income and contribution margin can help farmers evaluate their businesses
Lower U.S. calf crop supports cattle complex
Conditions are developing that should support record calf prices next fall
The Alberta fed cattle market remains under pressure due to a buildup of market-ready cattle, larger carcass weights and seasonally low demand. During the last week of January, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis in the range of $360-$365 per hundredweight delivered. Live bids f.o.b. feedlot in southern Alberta were quoted […] Read more
Calf prices will be sideways into 2020
Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Both the U.S. and Canada produced smaller calf crops in 2019
Alberta packers were paying $142 to $144 on a live basis in mid-November, relatively unchanged from last month’s average price. While Alberta prices have traded in a sideways range, fed cattle values south of the border have been percolating higher. In Nebraska, fed cattle were trading in the range of $114 to $116, up from […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market reflects vulnerability
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded within $5 on either side of unchanged. Strength was noted in the major feeding regions of Alberta while subdued buying interest was noted in other regions of the Prairies. Major operations focused on local cattle, especially in southern Alberta. Feature sales attracted larger crowds which enhanced […] Read more
Klassen: Tight margins weigh on feeder cattle
Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle prices traded $5 higher to $5 lower; however, yearlings were a solid $2 to $4 lower. Negative feeding margins over the past month, along with weakness in the deferred live cattle futures, set a negative tone in the heavier weight classes. The calf market appears to be […] Read more
Klassen: Friendly beef price outlook supports feeder market
Compared to last week, yearling prices were $2 to as much as $5 higher, while calf markets traded $3-$7 above week-ago levels. The yearling run is coming to a close and feedlots scrambled to secure yearling ownership. Across Alberta, feature lots of high-quality 900-lb. steers were trading around $190 and this set the tone for […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market between hammer and anvil
The western Canadian feeder cattle market was hard to define this past week. Heavier feeder cattle were $3 lower to as much as $4 higher compared to week-ago levels; however, calf prices and lighter-weight feeders were steady to as much $6 higher. Alberta feedlot operators led the charge on calves with buying activity noted across […] Read more
Klassen: Major operations aggressively bid feeder cattle
The feeder cattle market in a world of its own but has a fair amount of new information — mostly negative — to digest as the fall run moves into full steam. Despite the upcoming uncertainty, western Canadian yearling prices were $4 to $8 above last week on very strong buying interest from larger operations; […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
