Saskatchewan Feeder Cattle Prices, reported by Canfax, were mixed last week.
Fonda Froats, Provincial Cattle Specialist with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, provided the latest Cattle Market Update for the week of May 15-19.
She says Saskatchewan feeder steer prices ranged from $372.00 per hundredweight (cwt) for the 400-500lb category to $254.00 per cwt for the 900+lb weight category.
There were price gains in both the top and bottom weight categories, with the largest average gain in the 400-500lb steers up $17.67 per cwt, while the largest decrease was in the 600-700lb steers down an average of $4.08 per cwt from the prior week.
Froats says the average weekly price for heifers, reported on May 19, were down in all the reported weight categories. Prices ranged from $319.25 per cwt for the 400-500lb weight category to $248.00 per cwt for the 800+lb weight category. The 400-500lb heifers had the largest average decline of $7.92 below the prior week.
Froats says they continue to see limited marketings and a tighter supply of feeder cattle coming to market, which is supporting these prices. Another factor is increased buying interest from the U.S.
Canfax also reported 4,827 head of Saskatchewan feeder cattle sold over the week, down from the 7,445 head marketed the previous week.
Froats added “the Canfax price for Alberta fed steers reported on May 19 was $237.11 per cwt, up $5.66 per cwt compared to the last reported price of $231.45 on May 12.”
Regarding market-ready cattle, she noted “the price of Alberta D2 slaughter cows decreased on average 1.87 per cwt from the week prior to average $147.83 per cwt. The price of Alberta D3 slaughter cows was essentially unchanged, ending the week at an average of $131.90 per cwt.”
