Steers were $82.60-$85.50 per hundredweight live and $141.50-$143.85 on the rail last week, averaging $84.70, up 60 cents.
Heifers were $83.40-$84.25 live and $142.50-$143.85 on the rail, with heifers averaging $85.22, up 70 cents.
The number of head sold rose 17 percent to 15,168. Some cattle on the show list were removed in the hope of higher prices this week. There was strong U.S. interest.
The cash to cash basis strengthened to -$7.41 from -$8.03 the week before.
Weekly Alberta slaughter to March 6 was 47,253 head, down one percent from the week before but 25 percent larger than last year.
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Weekly fed cattle exports to the United States to Feb. 27 were 20,471 head, down from 18,661 the previous week.
Year-to-date fed cattle exports are up four percent.
Even with the stronger loonie and a stronger basis, fed cattle are still moving south.
Demand will increase as grilling season approaches.
Chicago live cattle futures rose to a 17 month high. Muddy feedlots in the U.S. have slowed cattle growth. U.S. beef exports in January were 153.6 million pounds, up from 128.6 million in the same month last year.
D1, D2 cows averaged $53.10 per cwt., up 46 cents. D3 cow prices averaged $45.15, up 50 cents.
Rail grade cows were $99-$105.
Butcher bull prices were flat, but saw good demand to average $62.40.
Weekly exports to the U.S. to Feb. 27 were down three percent.
Light grass type stockers saw good demand, but interest and prices for feeders heavier than 650 lb. plateaued. A large supply of feeders heavier than 800 lb. has pressured prices lower.
Average steer and heifer prices were 10-15 cents per cwt. lower.
Steers 300-400 lb. fell about $1, while 400-600 lb. rose $1-$2. Steers 600-700 lb. traded steady and the large volume of heavier than 800 lb. steers fell $1.
Heifers 300-500 lb. were mostly steady with good grass demand, while 500-600 lb. rose $1 and 600-800 lb. were steady to slightly lower.
Heifers heavier than 800 lb. fell 50 cents-$1.25.
Auction volume of 55,419 head was steady with the week before but up 32 percent from last year.
Weekly exports to Feb. 27 of 4,061 head were down 36 percent from the week before and 64 percent lower than last year.
Quality issues pushed the top end of the bred female price range higher. However, average bred cow prices fell $47 per head.
Bred heifers were almost $91 higher to average $1,040. Pairs held steady averaging $982.50.
Weekly Canadian slaughter volume to March 6 dropped one percent to 61,893 head.
Weekly Canadian AAA cutouts rose $3.64. They were $20.36, or 12 percent, lower than this week last year.
AA cutouts were $3.18 higher. They were down $16.78 from last year.
The Montreal wholesale price for delivery this week was steady at $172-$174.
U.S. Choice cutouts dropped $1.02 US to close at $149.07, and Select fell 24 cents to $148.37.
Choice cutouts were $13.05 higher than this week last year and Select cutouts were $13.14 higher.
The number of cattle in Alberta and Saskatchewan feedlots as of March 1 increased to slightly more than one million head.
That was a five percent increase compared to the same date last year and a 13 percent increase from 2008.
Placements in February rose to 212,948 head, an increase of 19 percent from last year.
Marketings in February were down nine percent at 139,627 and other disappearance stood at 11,513, down 43 percent from the year before.
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.
