Beef supplies will tighten by mid-2023 

Beef supplies will tighten by mid-2023 

Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Feeder cattle market will function to encourage expansion

Western Canadian feeder cattle prices trended lower throughout the fall. During late August and the first half of September, higher-quality yearlings in Manitoba weighing 850 pounds were trading in the range of $255-$260/cwt. In early December, replacement cattle of similar quality in the same region were quoted at $240. Calves had a similar trend, dropping […] Read more

While feedlot placements are up in the U.S. the opposite is happening in Western Canada
with feedlot placements dropping sharply below year-ago levels through the summer period.

Cattle market digesting many variables

Large Prairie barley crop in 2022, but big shipments of feed to China

As of the third week of September, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a live basis in the range of $180-$183/cwt delivered. Alberta finished cattle prices were rather flat throughout September. For March and April of 2023, feedlot operators have been able to forward-contract fed cattle on a dressed basis at $345/cwt delivered which […] Read more


File photo of cattle on feed near Champion, Alta., about 75 km north of Lethbridge. (James_Gabbert/iStock/Getty Images)

Klassen: Uncertain fed cattle market weighs on feeder cattle

U.S. feeder demand seen relatively sluggish

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearlings (900 lbs. and over) appeared to trade $6-$8 lower on average; yearlings weighing 800-900 lbs. off grass were unchanged. Backgrounded yearlings were also $6-$8 lower. Mid-weight calves were unchanged but calves under 600 lbs. were $3 to as much as $10 lower in some cases. Feedlot operators pulled […] Read more

Western Canadian yearling prices have strengthened over the past month.

Feeder cattle numbers decline

Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Beef demand remains strong

During the last week of August, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a live basis in the range of $180-$181/cwt delivered, up $7-$8/cwt from 30 days earlier. U.S. and Canadian beef production has been running above a year ago, and beef demand has exceeded earlier projections. Inflation pressures on both sides of the border […] Read more


Lower beef production means higher prices

Lower beef production means higher prices

As the U.S. herd contracts, this is the year for Canadian producers to increase numbers

During the latter half of June, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle in the range of $170-$173 f.o.b. the feedlot in southern Alberta. The market was up $2 to $3 from 30 days earlier. Prices were marking fresh 52-week highs as feedlots in Western Canada contend with a backlog of market-ready supplies. The fed cattle […] Read more

Cow-calf producers should be aggressive and stock up on light weight calves.

U.S. feeder cattle supplies to tighten

Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Canadian calves will be in demand as U.S. feeder numbers could be down by nearly one million head by late 2022

Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis in the range of $274-$276 during the third week of April. The Alberta fed market has been relatively flat over the past month. We mentioned in earlier issues that Alberta is contending with a severe backlog of market-ready supplies due to the year-over-year increase in […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feedlots value feeders on finished cattle price projections

Compared to the week ending March 2, western Canadian yearling prices were $3-$5 lower on average. Mid-weight replacements in the range of 650-800 lbs. were down $8-$12. Steer calves under 650 lbs. traded steady to $5 lower. Heifer calves under 650 lbs. were also down $8-$12. The market was hard to define for heifer calves […] Read more