Klassen: Feeder market eyes deferred delivery prices

For the week ending June 28, Western Canadian feeder cattle markets have been comparatively unchanged in comparison with seven days earlier. Volumes transferring via the ring have been restricted and the standard was fairly variable.

Off grade cattle in small packages and stragglers have been discounted accordingly. This will likely have resulted in a total weaker tone. Nonetheless, public sale markets held in-house video gross sales for deferred supply and costs didn’t miss a beat. Bigger Alberta operations have been extraordinarily aggressive and competitors was fierce with Ontario orders evident throughout Western Canada.

On Thursday, June 26, Alberta packers have been shopping for fed cattle on a dressed foundation within the vary of $498-$503/cwt, down $2-$3/cwt from the earlier week. Dwell bids fob feedlot in southern Alberta have been quoted at $295/cwt. Break-even pen closeouts are within the vary of $270-$275/cwt. There are extra fall positioned calves coming available on the market and these break-evens are barely decrease.

On the Ponoka sale, a bigger package deal of black steers averaging 1,000 kilos on mild barley and corn silage eating regimen with full processing data dropped the gavel at $387/cwt. On the similar sale, a bigger group of Simmental cross Angus heifers on the cardboard at 782 kilos coming off a barley, canola meal and silage backgrounding ration with preconditioning information set the bar at $421/cwt.

For September and October supply, 1,000-pound steers have been buying and selling within the vary of $395-$400/cwt this previous week fob farm in central Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The Westlock Public sale report had a smaller package deal of Angus based mostly steers weighing 900 kilos coming of silage and hay eating regimen on full herd well being particulars traded for $416/cwt. In north-central Saskatchewan, a smaller pen of bigger Charolais based mostly steers evaluated at 825 kilos on backgrounding ration (managed weight achieve) with full preconditioning together with current booster have been valued at $460/cwt fob farm.

Within the southern Alberta area, larger-wide-frame Limousin based mostly steers weighing 735 kilos apparently traded for $525/cwt. In central Saskatchewan, a smaller package deal of Charolais cross heifers appraised at 710 kilos have been quoted at $476/cwt

The Perlich Bros. Public sale Market report close to Lethbridge had a package deal of 200 Black Angus steers with a base weight of 650 kilos promoting for 551/cwt for December supply. The Ponoka market report had 110 black steers with a base 550 kilos coming off cows and grass buying and selling for $585 for supply in early November.

Our straw ballot survey means that 2025 would be the first yr of main heifer retention in Western Canada. This can lead to decrease total provides of feeder cattle. The calves from these heifers will come available on the market in 2026. This can be underpinning the feeder marketplace for September via December supply.

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