Klassen: Feeder market consolidates at historical highs

For the week ending August 16, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets have been unchanged to $10 larger. Energy was famous in grass yearlings within the 800-950-pound classes.

Calf volumes have been restricted final week which made the market laborious to outline. Patrons reported that Ontario demand stretched all the way in which into central Alberta setting the general worth construction. Feedlot margins stay in optimistic territory and operations are present with manufacturing. Grass situations have been fairly favorable over the previous month and yearling weight good points have been higher than anticipated.

U.S. livestock: Feeder contracts set fresh highs

Chicago feeder cattle futures set fresh highs on Monday. Lean hog contracts also rose.

Alberta packers have been shopping for fed cattle on a dressed foundation at a median worth of $505/cwt, regular to $5/cwt larger than final week. Ontario packers have been shopping for Grade A steers on a dressed foundation at $527/cwt. There seems to be stronger packer demand within the short-term.

In Ponoka, medium to bigger body black steers with full processing information coming off pasture weighing 1,075 kilos bought for $408/cwt. On the identical sale, Simmental blended heifers averaging 950 kilos traded for $430/cwt.

Northwest of Saskatoon, a pen-sized group of bigger body blended steers on backgrounding grain and silage ration with full pre-conditioning carrying medium flesh ranges averaging 1,050 kilos traded for $414/cwt fob farm for September 20 supply. In the identical area, the Workforce Public sale market report had 100 black steers carrying decrease flesh ranges weighing 1,050 kilos coming straight off pasture buying and selling for $421/cwt for September 2 supply.

Northwest of Calgary, a bigger bundle of Charolais cross steers weighing 930 kilos off pasture apparently bought for $468/cwt fob ranch. Southeast of Edmonton, bigger body Charolais Simmental blended steers weighing simply over 800 kilos broke the psychological $500 stage and reportedly bought for $508/cwt. Southeast of Calgary, bigger body decrease flesh Simmental blended heifers off pasture averaging 830 kilos traded for $460/cwt.

The Ponoka market report additionally had Charolais cross steers off a weight-reduction plan of cows, grass and minerals weighing 650 kilos moved by the ring at $604/cwt. These steers are travelling to Ontario.

Within the August World Agriculture Provide and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report, the USDA lowered U.S. 2025 third quarter beef manufacturing by 175 million kilos and decreased fourth quarter output by 90 million kilos. The U.S. corn crop was raised to 425 million tonnes, up from 378 million tonnes final 12 months. This was thought of bullish for the feeder market.