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.
Steers traded at $75-$79 per hundredweight live and $130.50-$130.85 on the rail the week before Christmas. Heifers were $77.10 live and $127.50-$130.85 on the rail.
Most of the sales were dressed, resulting in the Canfax weighted heifer average being slightly higher than the live price.
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Rail prices generally traded $2 higher.
Steers averaged $78.17, up $1.10, and heifers averaged $77.69, up 95 cents.
Cash offerings were small compared to grid and contract with slightly more than 6,000 head traded.
Total marketings were 20,446, up 17 percent from the previous week.
The cash to cash basis strengthened to $7.31 under from $8.08 under the previous week.
Total weekly Alberta slaughter to Dec.19 was 49,380 head, down three percent from the previous week but up eight percent from the same week last year.
D1, D2 slaughter cows rose $1.85 per hundredweight to average $37.71. D3 cow prices rallied $3.80 to average $33.42.
Rail grade cows were $68-$75.
Butcher bulls rose $2 to average $47.92.
Strong slaughter cow demand is expected to continue into the new year, and packer supply should be tight until the weather warms.
Cold weather before Christmas limited feeder auction action.
Auction volume fell 30 percent from the previous week to 26,206 head. That was down 33 percent from last year.
Steers averaged $1.09 per cwt. higher and heifers rose 14 cents.
Steers 300-400 pounds rose $2.60. Steers 400-600 lb. traded 40-90 cents higher, while 600-800 lb. were steady to 25 cents lower.
Short keep steers heavier than 800 lb. rose $1.55-$2.35.
Heifers 300-400 lb. were $2.65 higher, while 400-600 lb. were 70-75 cents lower.
Heifers 600-800 lb. rose 50 cents-$1.10 and 800-900 lb. held steady. Heifers heavier than 900 lb. fell $1.90.
Year to date, sales volume was about 2.03 million, down four percent from a year ago.
Last minute tax shopping and tighter numbers were expected to hold prices firm until year-end.
Bred cows averaged $649.54 in limited trade, down 17 percent. Bred heifers held fairly steady and averaged $897.89.
U.S. Choice cutouts fell 14 cents to close Dec. 23 at $138.63 US while Select rose 37 cents to $131.06.
Weekly Canadian AAA cutouts to Dec. 18 fell nine cents from the previous week and were $32.29 Cdn lower than the same week last year.
AA cutouts were 65 cents higher than the previous week and $25.53 lower than a year ago.
Large carcass weights resulted in a surplus of AAA product, but good demand for AA product has prices near even or higher than AAA prices.
Retailers are expected to feature beef more once Christmas hams and turkey retail features are over.
