(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Yearling prices remain firm

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets were relatively unchanged with the exception of southern Alberta where 800-plus-lb. feeders traded $5 to as much as $8 higher. Strength in deferred live cattle futures and weakness in barley prices were the main factors driving demand in the Lethbridge area. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s bullish […] Read more


(File photo)

Feed weekly outlook: Market not bottomed yet

MarketsFarm — Falling feed grain prices in Western Canada have not hit the bottom just yet, especially as harvest delays lead to quality downgrades. “I would say it’s coming down quite a bit more,” said Mike Fleischhauer of Eagle Commodities in Lethbridge. The barley and wheat harvests are running behind normal in both Saskatchewan and […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder market experiences softer demand

Compared to the previous week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $4-$6 lower on average; calves were down $5 to as much as $10 in some cases. U.S. feeder cattle markets were also down $5-$8 from seven days earlier. The extended period of negative feeding margins appears to be taking a toll on the feeder market. […] Read more

(Rahr.com)

Ample world malt barley supply to limit export prices

MarketsFarm — Canadian malt barley growers may be dealing with adverse harvest conditions that could lead to quality downgrades in some areas — while world supplies of the key beer ingredient remain more than sufficient to meet global demand. “There’s no real indication at this time that we’ll see a significant up move (in price),” […] Read more


Harvest weather so far this fall may cost barley end-users seeking malting-grade product this year, the CMBTC warns. (Dave Bedard photo)

As harvest drags on, malt barley quality uncertain

MarketsFarm — The quality of Canada’s 2019-20 barley crop remains to be seen, as cool and wet harvest conditions across much of the Prairies are raising concerns over how much will meet malt specifications. “We’ll lose a lot of malting barley this year, because of the weather,” said Peter Watts, managing director of the Canadian […] Read more




(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Klassen: Feeder cattle market recovers

Compared to last week, western Canadian yearling markets traded $4-$6 higher on average; some packages in Alberta sold $8 to as much as $10 above week-ago levels. Larger feedlot operations were very aggressive on 750- to 900-pounders. The quality of yearlings is excellent at this time of year. Comments from the front row suggest most […] Read more

Barley south of Ethelton, Sask. on July 30, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Feed weekly outlook: Old-, new-crop barley prices converge

MarketsFarm — Feed grains prices have been softening as old-crop and new-crop prices converge during harvest. Tracy Green, a grain broker with Market Master Ltd. in Edmonton, said Feedlot Alley is “well-covered” and waiting for harvest. However, buyers in central Alberta are seeing prices around $237 delivered for old-crop barley. For deliveries into Lethbridge for […] Read more