Slaughter cattle recover
SASKATOON (Staff) – Despite a big dump of snow in southern Alberta and cold temperatures elsewhere, slaughter cattle trade recovered to normal volumes this past week at 13,000 head.
Canfax said prices turned around by midweek, after a rough start where they dropped by 50 cents to $1 per hundredweight. Heavy cattle are still figuring in the mix of those sent for slaughter.
Trade on Jan. 4 saw steers priced between $81-$82.50. Heifers traded between $80.50 and $82.75.
Hogs lower
Hog prices during were driven down by large marketings and an inventory report from the U.S. that forecasts an increase in sows kept for farrowing.
On the Prairies, Saskatchewan producers sent 5,000 more pigs to market even though the Index 100 pooled price dropped by $5 per hundred kilograms. Alberta marketings increased by 14,000 head, but prices dropped by $8.10 per ckg. Manitoba’s average price dropped by $6.65 per ckg while marketings were up by 7,000.
