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 high price of beef set a negative tone. President Trump stated that ranchers have to get the price of beef down, which drew a tsunami of comments from U.S. cattle groups. Media comments that Agriculture Secretary Rollins planned to meet with her Mexican counterpart to open the border to Mexican feeder cattle also contributed to the weaker tone.
The TEAM auction market report had a group of 175 larger frame, lower flesh Charolais based steers averaging 1,050 pounds with full processing data but no implants coming straight off pasture valued at $440/cwt fob ranch near Elkhorn, Manitoba. At the same video sale, a group of 118 Simmental cross heifers averaging 1,050 pounds with full processing data and implants on grass diet sold for $424 fob ranch near Drayton Valley, Alberta for delivery November 3-8.
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Early last week, a cattle producer south of Edmonton sold a pen-sized group of controlled weight gain backgrounded mixed steers with processing records and implants averaging 950 pounds for $500/cwt for delivery first half of January 10-15, 2026 fob ranch. At the Lloydminster ring sale, there was a smaller package of exotic yearling steers weighing 814 pounds that sold for $521/cwt.
At the Ste. Rose ring sale, red and black Simmental based steer calves weighing 718 pounds sold for $570/cwt and a smaller package of Charolais heifers with a mean weight of 716 pounds traded for $517/cwt.
At the Beaverlodge sale, a smaller group of black mixed steer calves averaging 583 pounds traded for $627/cwt. At the Ponoka sale, a smaller group Angus steers weighing 632 pounds coming off cows, hay and grass diet with full processing data traded for $620/cwt. At the same sale, Simmental based heifers coming straight off their mothers and pasture weighing 608 pounds with full processing data sold for $550/cwt.
At the Killarney sale, a smaller package of black steer calves weighing 546 pounds sold for $709/cwt and their lighter brothers scaled at 486 pounds were valued at $780/cwt.
The USDA did not release their Cattle On Feed Report due to the government shutdown. Our estimates have U.S. cattle on feed 180 days or more as of October 1 at 1.397 million head, up 556,000 head from October 1, 2025. In addition to the U.S. government remarks, the cattle market has some bearish fundamentals in the short-term.
