For the week ending Nov. 18, western Canadian feeder cattle prices traded $3-$5/cwt on either side of unchanged compared to seven days earlier. Buyers appeared to shrug off the weaker futures market and the defensive tone from a week earlier evaporated. Eastern Prairie markets were firm, with larger packages of quality cattle trading a solid […] Read more
Klassen: Canadian feeder buyers ignore weaker futures market
U.S. feedlot placements up four per cent
Klassen: Cash feeder prices soften on futures market uncertainty
Supplies are higher than expected as consumers reign in spending
The live and feeder cattle futures appear to be incorporating a risk discount due to the uncertainty in demand. Consumers are pulling in the reigns on spending. Interest rates are at 40 year highs and inflation remains elevated. Larger supplies and lower demand results in lower prices.
Corn, soybean yields still above last year averages, despite harvest delay
Weak Canadian dollar will continue into 2024, supporting grain and oilseed prices
As of Oct. 31, we estimate the Ontario soybean harvest was 65 per cent complete and corn progress stood at 45 per cent. Intermittent rains and cooler temperatures delayed harvest progress. Weather forecasts call for cooler temperatures and additional periods of rain or snow. Farmers have been planting winter wheat in some locations but it […] Read more
Klassen: Buyers contemplate feeder market prices
In adverse weather, sale results vary
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $3-$5/cwt lower on average although limited numbers made the market hard to define. Calf markets traded $4-$8/cwt on either side of unchanged. It appeared that 700-plus-lb. calves were up $4 to as much as $8. The variation in the price structure was due to the adverse […] Read more
Klassen: Canadian feeder market holds value despite weaker futures
Weaker loonie offers support
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling prices traded $3-$5 lower while calf values were relatively unchanged. The market was slightly softer early in the week. On Wednesday, Alberta packers renewed fed cattle bids similar to week-ago levels and the aggressive buying lifted calf prices back up to levels similar to seven days earlier. Adverse […] Read more
Ontario farmers sell plenty from big corn crop
Ukraine war, Russian competition limit export demand for province’s corn
As of Oct. 18, we estimate the Ontario soybean harvest was 40 per cent complete and corn progress stood at 30 per cent. Cooler temperatures delayed row crop harvest by 10 to 15 days. Harvest may stretch into November, as the latter half of October saw intermittent rains and cooler temperatures across the province. Yield […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder market vulnerable to weakness
Placements higher than expected
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $3-$5 on either side of unchanged. Prices for 800-plus-lb. yearlings were firm in Manitoba but softened in western regions. Calf prices were relatively unchanged from week-ago levels. There were larger volumes of calves on offer with many auction barns holding feature sales. The increase in supplies […] Read more
Klassen: Ontario demand sets the price structure for calves
Corn in Ontario at $232/tonne, U.S. corn in southern Alberta at $315
For the week ending Oct. 14, western Canadian yearling prices were steady to $4 higher compared to a week earlier. Calves in the range of 500 to 800 pounds traded $4-$6 lower in Alberta. However, in eastern Saskatchewan and in Manitoba, calves in this weight category were relatively unchanged compared to the previous week. In […] Read more
Harvest surge expected to lower soybean prices
Rain delayed Ontario corn and soybean harvests but yields are strong
At the end of September, Ontario farmers were in the early stages of the corn and soybean harvests. The corn harvest is 15 to 20 days behind normal and the soybean harvest is delayed 10 to 15 days from average. Ontario received above normal rainfall during July and August but September precipitation measured 40 to […] Read more
Klassen: Steam evaporates off yearling market
August 2024 feeder futures at a premium
Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded steady to $4 lower. The yearling quality continues to fade as thicker flesh levels are starting to appear. Steer calves were down $4-$8 on average while heifer calves were down $15 to as much as $20 in some cases. From a seasonal perspective, the calf market […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
