For the week ending June 27, western Canadian feeder cattle markets were relatively unchanged compared to seven days earlier.
Volumes moving through the ring were limited, and the quality was quite variable. Off-grade cattle in small packages and stragglers were discounted accordingly.
This may have resulted in a overall weaker tone, but auction markets held in-house video sales for deferred delivery, and prices didn’t miss a beat.
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Larger Alberta operations were extremely aggressive and competition was fierce with Ontario orders evident across Western Canada.
On June 26, Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis in the range of $498-$503 per hundredweight, down $2-$3 per cwt. from the previous week.
Live bids f.o.b. feedlot in southern Alberta were quoted at $295 per cwt. Break-even pen closeouts are in the range of $270-$275 per cwt.
There are more fall placed calves coming on the market, and these break-evens are slightly lower.
At the Ponoka, Alta., sale, a larger package of black steers averaging 1,000 pounds on light barley and corn silage diet with full processing records dropped the gavel at $387 per cwt. At the same sale, a larger group of Simmental cross Angus heifers on the card at 782 lb. coming off a barley, canola meal and silage backgrounding ration with preconditioning data set the bar at $421 per cwt.
The Westlock Auction Market report had a smaller package of Angus based steers weighing 900 pounds coming of silage and hay diet on full herd health details traded for $416 per cwt.
In north-central Saskatchewan, a smaller pen of larger Charolais based steers evaluated at 825 pounds on backgrounding ration (controlled weight gain) with full preconditioning, including recent booster, were valued at $460 per cwt. f.o.b. farm.
In the southern Alberta region, larger wide-frame Limousin-based steers weighing 735 lb. reportedly traded for $525 per cwt.
In central Saskatchewan, a smaller package of Charolais cross heifers appraised at 710 lb. were quoted at $476 per cwt.
The Perlich Bros Auction Market report had a package of 200 Black Angus steers with a base weight of 650 lb. selling for 551 per cwt. for December delivery.
The Ponoka market report had 110 black steers with a base 550 lb. coming off cows and grass trading for $585 for delivery in early November.
Our straw poll survey suggests that 2025 will be the first year of major heifer retention in Western Canada after years of contraction. The calves from these heifers will come on the market in 2026. This may be underpinning the feeder market for September through December delivery.
