(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Alberta bids see slight gains

MarketsFarm — Alberta feedlots are only buying feed barley and wheat on a hand-to-mouth basis as demand remains unchanged, according to a local trader. “A lot of the feedlots we work with are buying what they needed and getting covered,” said Agfinity Inc. senior trader Erin Harakal from Stony Plain, Alta. High-delivered bids are $12.93 […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder markets start 2022 with a roar

Compared to late December, western Canadian yearling prices were quoted $6-$8 higher on average; however, fancier, lower flesh packages in the 850- to 900-lb. category were $10-$12 higher. Calf markets were quite variable. Early in the week, calf prices were relatively unchanged but markets were up $3-$6 by Friday. Ontario buyers were extremely aggressive last […] Read more

Pacific sea surface temperature anomalies in degrees Celsius for the week centred on Dec. 29, 2021. (CPC.ncep.noaa.gov)

La Niña introduces itself with Prairie cold snap

MarketsFarm — The frigid conditions which had enveloped the Prairie provinces in recent weeks is a sign La Niña has come again, according to a Kansas-based meteorologist. Since mid-December, the Prairies have been in a deep freeze beginning with temperatures at least 10 C below-normal. Since the holiday season, many towns and cities in the […] Read more

(BanksPhotos/Getty Images)

Feed weekly outlook: Feedlots, elevators filled with corn

MarketsFarm — As 2022 begins, feed grain markets in Alberta have been “status quo,” according to a grain buyer. “There’s a lot of grain that has been pre-contracted in terms of corn coming in from the United States,” said Brandon Motz of CorNine Commodities at Lacombe, Alta. “Lots of priority has been towards execution, making […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder market has positive factors

There were no feeder cattle sales last week due to the holiday season; however, this didn’t stop many cow-calf producers from inquiring about the market outlook for 2022. This past year was one for the record books. There is no doubt about it. Waves of COVID-19 caused beef demand to be quite volatile from month […] Read more



(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder market closes year on firm tone

There were no major sales last week; however, a few auction barns held sales with a light run of feeder cattle along with bred cows and bred heifers. Compared to seven days earlier, western Canadian feeder cattle prices were relatively unchanged. Liquidation of the cow herd was the main feature on both sides of the […] Read more

(Thinkstock photo)

Prairie cash wheat: Prices booked remarkable upswing in 2021

U.S. wheat futures well up on year

MarketsFarm — There were huge gains in wheat prices in Western Canada this past year. Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) and Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) wheats shot up by $200 per tonne or more, while those for Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD) spiked well in excess of $400 per tonne. Significant increases in U.S. […] Read more



(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder market stabilizes after December surge

Compared to last week, western Canadian feeder cattle prices traded $3-$4 on either side of unchanged. Small groups of various quality characterized sale volumes. There were a few packages of backgrounded yearlings that sold at decent levels. Finishing feedlots were fairly aggressive on groups in the 700- to 800-lb. category. Higher flesh levels have become […] Read more