Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle prices were relatively unchanged. Extreme temperatures blanketed Western Canada last week. Many auction barns cancelled sales or had limited numbers on offer. Buyers attended sales either in person or via the internet, which was supportive to the overall price structure. Many backgrounders and cow-calf producers delayed sales […] Read more
Klassen: Cold weather slows feeder cattle market activity
Klassen: Lower U.S. calf crop spurs buying interest
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded steady to $2 higher; calves in the range of 550-800 lbs. were up $2-$4; and calves under 550 lbs. surged $4-$8 on average. Certain auction barns reported that grassers traded $8-$12 above week-ago levels. Colder temperatures caused some sellers to delay sales; however, there was no […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market bounces on optimistic outlook
Feed barley remains near historical highs
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices traded $2-$4 higher; prices for mid-weight calves were quoted $4-$8 above week-ago levels. Calves under 550 lbs. traded $6 to as much as $10 higher compared to seven days earlier. Improving feedlot margins were the main factor driving the feeder market. June and August live cattle futures […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle demand improving
The feeder market received a shot of adrenaline last week as corn futures came under pressure while live cattle futures surged. During the first half of the week, western Canadian yearlings were quite sluggish and calf prices steady to $3 lower compared to seven days earlier. Some yearling packages moving direct off-farm in certain areas […] Read more
Timing is (almost) everything when it comes to reproductive success
Pay attention to the length of your breeding season, calving distribution, and postpartum interval
Reading Time: 3 minutes Tackling reproductive failure in a beef herd starts with understanding what reproductive success looks like — and for most Alberta cattle operations, the usual measure of success doesn’t tell the whole story. “A lot of people might think, great, I got greater than 90 per cent (pregnancy rate), that might mean success,” said veterinarian Dr. […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market in price-discovery phase
Compared to last week, Alberta feeder cattle markets were relatively unchanged while Manitoba and Saskatchewan prices were down $2 to as much as $5 in some cases. Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis in the range of $248-$250, up $4-$5 from last week. Strength in the fed cattle market spilt over […] Read more
The right time for calving depends on your farm — and you
While many producers are calving earlier, some have gone the other way
Reading Time: 4 minutes Calving season looks different on every operation — there is no one right method or time of year to calve a cow herd. While more producers in Western Canada have moved to later calving, some have gone the other way. Here are the experiences of three ranching families. Late summer/fall calving Taralea Simpson has been […] Read more
Klassen: Higher feed grain prices continue to pressure feeders
Compared to mid-December, western Canadian yearlings traded $3-$5 lower; mid-weight calves are down $4-$6 while calves under 550 lbs. remained firm. Buyers exhibited a defensive tone on heavier yearlings and discounts were more severe on fleshier cattle last week. There is absolutely no risk appetite for 850-plus-lb. cattle at this time of year. Demand for […] Read more
Klassen: Lighter calves end year on positive tone
Compared to last week, Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were $2 lower to $3 higher depending on the region. Many auction markets were in holiday mode last week and thinner volumes made the market harder to define. Generally speaking, the market was supported by stronger deferred live cattle futures and a slightly weaker Canadian dollar; […] Read more
Klassen: Fed cattle prices supporting calf market
Alberta packers were buying fed cattle in the range of $139 to $140 last week, up $1 to $2 from seven days earlier. Strength in the nearby fed cattle market along with the recent rally in the live cattle futures has been supportive for calves under 600 pounds. Compared to last week, Western Canadian yearling […] Read more
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