Cattle markets fall
SASKATOON (Staff) – Seasonal highs might have been reached in slaughter cattle markets last week with prices on Friday down about $1 from the previous week.
Steers brought $85-$87.75 while heifers sold for $86.40-$87.35.
Canfax reports U.S. packers put together enormous numbers from the previous week’s record movement and have supplies into this week.
The U.S. market held at $72 (U.S.), but on the demand side, beef movement has slowed as prices rose through late summer. Packers are looking forward to Thanksgiving and are skeptical of short-term improvement in demand.
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However, Canfax said because feedlots are not oversupplied, the potential is small for fed cattle prices to slip substantially during October.
In the cow market, rainy weather through much of the West sent more animals to market.
Feeder cattle marketings are beginning their seasonal increase. Yearlings traded steady with the previous week as did heavier calves, but calves under 550 pounds were down about $1.
Feeder prices are expected to hold until mid-October when volume will add downward pressure.
Meanwhile cash hogs saw some pressure last week due to the U.S. market, but the week ended strong. Cash prices in the U.S. are not expected to edge much beyond the $55 level.
The USDA hog and pig report is due Sept. 27. Analysts expect the breeding herd to be down by five percent, but sow slaughter to be down 13 percent from a year ago, indicating a rebuilding herd.
Sheep prices held steady. The Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board reported lambs sold at $1.06 per pound while slaughter sheep got 33 cents per lb.
