A second meat buyer for horses in Alberta is pushing the price of horses at the auction higher.
Doug Verstraete, manager of Beaver Hill Auctions, said the price of loose horses averaged 55 to 60 cents a pound, but some prices reached as high as 70 cents per lb.
“Just having another buyer alone helps the price,” said Verstraete of Tofield.
“Meat prices are what drives the floor prices. There are lots of these loose horses.”
Beaver Hill has a monthly horse sale, but recently added the extra monthly loose horse sale to deal with the number of people wanting to sell horses at the higher price.
Verstraete said the demand for horses is higher because Canadian Premium Meats, a European Union approved facility in Lacombe, is buying horses at their auction market.
Before, only Bouvry Exports was buying horses for its Fort MacLeod processing facility.
Duane Daines of Innisfail Auction Mart said prices at their recent Saturday horse auction were strong for loose horses and horses ridden into the ring.
mary.macarthur@producer.com
