(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Drier conditions will influence feeder market

The feeder market was hard to define this week. The quality of yearlings was quite variable. Fleshier types were heavily discounted while quality packages were unchanged from seven days earlier. Calf prices were mostly unchanged; however, values were down $4-$6 in drier pockets of southern Saskatchewan and southern Manitoba. Southern Alberta barley prices were quoted […] Read more

Beef demand is up, but high feed grain prices cut into feeder margins.

Consumer demand supports fed and feeder cattle markets

Market Update with Jerry Klassen: A one per cent increase in consumer spending equates to a one per cent increase in beef demand

Alberta packers were buying fed cattle in the range of $152 to $153 FOB feedlot during the third week of April. Fed cattle prices were up $3 to $4 from 30 days earlier. The market appears to be factoring in tighter supplies in the latter half of the year, along with growing demand. October and […] Read more



While the U.S. beef cattle industry is still in retraction, the potential for increasing demand for beef is a sign for Canadian producers to keep producing.

Should you expand the cow herd?

Market Update with Jerry Klassen: Canadian producers in a good position to sell more beef into a rising market

I’ve received many inquiries from cow-calf producers regarding the outlook for the cattle herd over the next couple of years. Those of you who have read my articles in the past know that I advise Canadian cow-calf producers to expand when the U.S. cattle herd is contracting, and vice versa. It was one year ago […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder cattle divorce from futures’ direction

Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle prices were relatively unchanged. Higher-quality yearlings and calves were steady to $4 higher in Alberta and Saskatchewan; in Manitoba, yearlings traded $2-$4 lower while calves were $3-$5 higher. Domestic cattle markets appeared to divorce from feeder and live cattle futures. June live cattle futures finished the week […] Read more



The USDA building in Washington, D.C. (Art Wager/iStock/Getty Images)

Klassen: Feeder market digests USDA acreage report

Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets were relatively unchanged. Lower flesh yearlings appeared to trade $2-$3 higher in certain pockets of Alberta but replacements carrying excessive butter experienced severe discounts of $6 to as much as $10 in some cases. October and December live cattle futures made fresh contract highs, which underpinned […] Read more



CME May 2021 feeder cattle with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

Klassen: Feeder market remains volatile

Feed grain values remain firm

Last week, western Canadian yearling markets were traded $2-$4 above week-ago levels from Monday through Wednesday; however, buyers backed away from the market on Thursday and Friday as feeder cattle futures fell nearly $7 from Wednesday’s high. By the end of the week, yearlings were relatively unchanged from week-ago levels. Calf prices were relatively flat […] Read more