Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were quite variable this past week. Strength was noted in the eastern Prairie regions where markets traded $5 to as much as $10 above week-ago levels; however, Alberta steer prices were relatively unchanged but heifers traded $5 to $8 higher. Available feeder supplies will tighten as we approach the end […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market maintains upward trend
Klassen: Beef demand drives feeder market higher
Compared to last week, Western Canadian yearling prices were $5 higher on average; calves traded $3 to as much as $6 above week ago levels. Strength in fed cattle prices quickly spilled over into the feeder complex, especially on shorter keep replacements. On Friday, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle from $247 to $250 on […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market remains firm
Western Canadian yearling markets were trading $3 to as much as $6 above week-ago levels while calf prices were relatively unchanged. The Canadian dollar was under pressure all week, closing Friday at US77.85 cents, the lowest levels since mid-July. At the same time, April live cattle futures made fresh contract highs, reflecting a week-over-week gain […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market loses momentum
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices were unchanged while calves traded $3 lower to $3 higher. Feedlot operators pulled in the reins and realized the market may have overextended itself. Feeder cattle prices are now at levels where margins are negative in the deferred positions. Order buyers could feel the momentum subside this […] Read more
The fall run is tough on calves but we can do better
The health problems seen in the feedlot don’t come out of the blue and careful handling should start at the home ranch
Reading Time: 3 minutes With the fall run underway, cattlemen and women are faced again with the challenge of morbidity and mortality in calves. By the time calves land in the feed yard, they have often been handled and transported several times. How they fight off disease during that extraordinarily stressful period is related to their age and weight. […] Read more
When the temperature soars, feedlot cattle can suffer
Beef 911: Charges that beta-agonists caused severe lameness prompted a study that found a very different reason for fatigue cattle syndrome
Reading Time: 3 minutes A few years ago cattle in an American feedlot went down during transport to a packing plant and others developed severe lameness. This condition was eventually labelled fatigue cattle syndrome and became a huge animal welfare issue due to the appearance of severely lame, non-ambulatory cattle. Initially beta-agonists were incriminated but numerous studies have essentially […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market holds values through volatility
Buyers kept a respectful distance from the market early in the week. Western Canadian feeder cattle markets were lackadaisical due to the bearish sentiment of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Cattle on Feed report. However, by Friday, all weight categories were trading steady with week-ago levels. Feedlot operators were bent upon ownership with an insatiable […] Read more
High hopes for remote sensing of pasture conditions
Federal funding assists pasture project
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association says it hopes a research project on remote sensing of pasture conditions will be the foundation for a new national pasture insurance program. “The project’s findings may allow for more precision in the development of insurance programs for pasture production, on a farm level, rather than by geographic regions or limited […] Read more
Alberta feedlot vet wins animal welfare award
Reading Time: < 1 minute Dr. Joyce Van Donkersgoed is the winner of an award from the Canadian Association of Bovine Veterinarians and Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) for her leadership in improving the welfare of feedlot animals. The Coaldale veterinarian was instrumental in the development of the Canadian Feedlot Animal Care Assessment tool for auditing animal welfare, the first certified audit […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market maintains upward momentum
Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle markets traded $3 to as much as $8 higher. Strong gains in the live and feeder cattle futures, along with the softer Canadian dollar, set a positive tone for all weight categories. Central and southern Alberta feedlot operators were quite aggressive on local cattle, which caused major […] Read more
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