For the week ending November 15, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $8-$10/cwt below values from seven days earlier. The cash market held value early in the week as the feeder cattle futures experienced a fortuitous bounce. However, weaker feedlot margins and longer term uncertainty regarding beef demand resulted in a softer tone in the […] Read more
Klassen: Beef demand uncertainty weighs on feeder market
Klassen: Weaker fed market weighs on feeder cattle prices
For the week ending November 8, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $10-$20/cwt below values from seven days earlier. Some packages weighing from 600 to 850 pounds were down as much as $30 from week-ago levels. The April live cattle futures fell $10/cwt over the course of the week while Alberta barley prices gained $5-$8/cwt. […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market drops sharply
For the week ending November 1, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $15-$30/cwt lower compared to seven days earlier. Cash feeder markets were off by $30-$40/cwt early in the week but then marginally recovered on Wednesday as the feeder cattle futures market stabilized. There were a few exceptions. Higher quality yearlings over 800 pounds coming […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market softens on weaker demand
For the week ending October 25, Western Canadian yearling markets traded steady to $10/cwt below prices from the previous week. Calves in the range of 550 pounds to 850 pounds were down $8 to $12 on average while feeders under 550 pounds were relatively unchanged compared to seven days earlier. U.S. government comments regarding the […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market extends rally
Western Canadian yearling prices traded back up to historical highs over the week ended Oct. 18, while calf markets made fresh highs at many locations. Western Canadian yearlings off grass traded $5-$10 higher on average compared to seven days earlier. Steer calves in the weight range of 550-825 pounds traded $8-$12/cwt higher on average while […] Read more
Klassen: Cash feeder market divorces from futures market
For the week ending October 11, Western Canadian yearling markets traded $8/cwt higher to $5/cwt lower compared to seven days earlier. Calf prices experienced a week-over-week decline of $3-$8/cwt on average. Feather-light calves under 450 pounds were steady to $10 higher on average. The Canadian cash feeder market appeared to divorce from the feeder cattle […] Read more
Klassen: Highs in place for the feeder market
For the week ending October 4, Western Canadian grass yearling markets traded steady to $5-$8/cwt lower on average compared to seven days earlier. Backgrounded yearlings were down $5-$12/cwt. Calf markets were down $5 to $10/cwt from a week earlier. There was an influx of calves over the past week which resulted in the softer tone […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market remains volatile
For the week ending September 27, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $10/cwt higher to $10/cwt lower compared to seven days earlier.
Klassen: Feeder market slips off record highs
For the week ending September 20, Western Canadian feeder markets traded steady to $5/cwt lower compared to seven days earlier. There were pockets where quality calf packages traded $10-$15/cwt below prices from the prior week. The October feeder cattle futures have been trading at $15/cwt premium to the deferred March 2026 contract. This inverse in […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market eyes deferred live cattle futures
For the week ending September 13, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets were relatively unchanged compared to seven days earlier. The April 2026 live cattle futures ended the week at $233, down $10 from the contract highs. Nearby feedlot margins remain favorable; however, profitability in the deferred positions has evaporated given the weakness in the deferred […] Read more
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