Jerry Klassen

March 12 — Stronger fed cattle prices and improving feedlot margins continue to support Canadian feeder cattle prices. While the Canadian dollar continues to gain on the U.S. greenback, Canadian feeder cattle exports are starting to improve. Unofficial data has weekly February feeder cattle exports averaging 6,000 head per week, up from the lows of […] Read more

March 8 — Cash feeder prices in Western Canada have been grinding lower over the past week despite stronger demand from the feedlot sector. The market continues to struggle due to the strength in the Canadian dollar and slower export pace. However, exports should start to pick up later in March as the U.S. market […] Read more

March 1 — Western Canadian feeder cattle prices remain under pressure despite strength in the slaughter cattle market. Alberta and Saskatchewan auction market volumes are running 10-12 per cent above last year’s, but with the slower export pace, supplies will remain above year ago levels into April. As of Jan. 1, there were an additional […] Read more

Feb. 22 — Statistics Canada’s Jan. 1 cattle inventory report was viewed as friendly to the cattle complex due to the lower overall inventory; however, the feeder cattle numbers were actually price-negative. The 2009 calf crop was estimated at 5.11 million head, down marginally from 5.288 million head in 2008. This was largely anticipated by […] Read more

Feb. 15 — The 2008 Canadian calf crop was 5.288 million head. The January-through-June 2009 calf crop was 4.402 million. My projections have the July-through-December 2009 calf crop at 700,000 head. (Official data will be available later this month.) If we account for dairy retention, Canadian beef calves born from June through December 2009 are […] Read more

Feb. 8 — A weaker Canadian dollar and softer feed grain prices have set a positive tone to the feeder cattle market in Western Canada. Finishing feedlots are realizing lower costs per pound gain and there appears to be renewed optimism as margins slowly improve. Auction market numbers in Alberta are running 10 per cent […] Read more

Feb. 1 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s cattle inventory report was considered constructive for the beef complex. Total U.S. cattle inventory as of Jan. 1 was 93.701 million, down one per cent from last year. Beef cows that have calved were also down one per cent from last year at 31.376 million. The 2009 […] Read more

Jan. 25 — Feeder cattle prices in Western Canada were $3 to $5 higher last week; U.S. prices were also $2 to $4 higher for heavier animals, while cattle under 500 pounds were $8 to $10 higher for the second week in a row. Despite larger numbers of feeder cattle coming on the market, values […] Read more

Jan. 18 — The bearish U.S. Department of Agriculture corn report had a positive effect on the North American feeder cattle complex. Prices in the U.S. southern Plains were quite strong and feedlots appear to have renewed optimism. Lightweight feeder cattle under 600 pounds sold for $4-$6 per hundredweight (cwt) higher than last week.  In […] Read more