The Canfax weighted average steer price was $96.58 per hundredweight, $1.46 lower, and heifers were $96.07, down $1.72 for the week ending Dec. 10.
Weaker live cattle futures and slower demand pressured prices.
Sales volume of 16,270 head was seven percent lower than the previous week and three percent smaller than last year.
No cash trade to the United States was reported and few Alberta cattle sold on a live basis.
The cash to futures basis widened to -$6.33 from -$5.42 the previous week.
Weekly exports for the week ending Nov. 27 were 8,969, six percent higher than the previous week but seven percent lower than last year.
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Market ready numbers are expected to continue to fall for the rest of this year and buyer interest is expected to soften.
COWS STRONGER
D1, D2 cows rose $2.85 per cwt. to average $57.15. D3 cows rose $2 to average $51.25.
Rail cows rose to $108-$113.
Butcher bulls rose $1.61 to average $62.14.
Weekly non-fed slaughter exports
to Nov. 27 were 14 percent lower.
FEEDER PRICES LOWER
There was good demand for stockers and feeders, but buyers were more selective.
Prices were pressured moderately lower and the price range was wide relative to quality.
Overall, steers fell 84 cents per cwt. and heifers fell 13 cents.
Steers lighter than 400 lb. rose 57 cents and 400-800 lb. were generally $1-$2 lower.
Steers 800 lb. were steady while those heavier than 900 lb. fell $2.
A lower supply and quality of stocker heifers fell 88 cents while 400-600 lb. rose almost 50 cents.
Heifers 700-800 lb. fell 50 cents-$1.25. Heifers heavier than 900 lb. rose $1.71 thanks to strong April futures.
The week likely saw the last large volume until the new year.
Auction volume was 67,795 head, down 12 percent from the previous week.
Weekly feeder exports to Nov. 27 were only 349 head.
Feeder exports are down 29 percent so far this year.
Bred cows were $750 to $1,400 and bred heifers were $950 to $1,450.
BEEF PRICES HIGHER
The U.S. Choice cutout rose seven cents to $163.53 and Select rose three cents to $153.62 per cwt.
Cutouts are $24-$29 higher than year ago levels.
Weekly Canadian slaughter to Dec. 3 rose six percent to 62,674 head, up five percent from a year ago.
Canadian AAA cutouts rose 36 cents to $157.08 and AA rose 91 cents to $154.74.
FEWER CATTLE ON FEED
Dec. 1 cattle on feed in Alberta and Saskatchewan totalled 980,279 head, down three percent from the previous year.
Placements in November were 290,853, up seven percent from last year.
Marketings in November were 130,164, down 12 percent.
This cattle market information is selected from the weekly report from Canfax, a division of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. More market information, analysis and statistics are available by becoming a Canfax subscriber by calling 403- 275-5110 or at www.canfax.ca.
