Market prices drop
Canadian hog prices continue to dip although sales remained steady.
The pool price in Saskatchewan closed at $160.50 per hundred kilogram down $5.70 from last week’s average. In Alberta and Manitoba prices were slightly better. Alberta closed at $164 per ckg ower and Manitoba was down $167 per ckg.
Hog sales are lower than 1996 with 213,488 compared to 224,176 last year. Slaughter is reduced because breeding herds are expanding by two to three percent as more producers retain gilts.
Slaughter cattle prices
Wide discrepancies between the highs and lows for slaughter cattle showed up again this week as packers attempt to price for quality.
Read Also
Working groups established to address challenges in the containerized and bulk movement of commodities
CN is working with the pulse and special crops sector on resolving challenges in shipping those commodities.
At the close for March 13, steers and heifers saw $5 ranges with steers at $85 to $87 per hundred weight, flat rail, $146.85-$147.35 and heifers $83.50-$86.85, flat rail $145.85-$146.85.
Slaughter cow prices drew back by mid-week. D1, 2 cows were $46-$62 with the top end bids at $65. D3 cows were $40-$54, topping at $57 per cwt.
Feeder trade was steady with good demand for light cattle suitable for putting on grass.
The live export trade showed lower numbers compared to last year. As of Feb. 15, 34,889 slaughter animals went stateside. Another 10,473 feeders and 196 breeding animals were exported. Last year for the same period, 37,339 fed cattle, 26,472 feeders and 220 breeding animals were exported.
While the boxed beef trade is sluggish, kill numbers are up from last year.
Until March 13, 30,224 Canada 1 steers and heifers were slaughtered. In total 58,454 in all classes were killed. Alberta leads the slaughter total at 36,684 head. For the same time last year, 54,957 were processed.
