Market talk , Latest & Featured - Canadian Cattlemen

Barley market outlook

Market Talk with Jerry Klassen

By Jerry Klassen October 23, 2020

The recent rally in the barley market has caught many cattle producers by surprise. For a brief period in midsummer, Lethbridge-area feedlots saw barley prices drop under $200/mt delivered; however, at the time of writing this article in mid-September, feed barley delivered to southern Alberta was trading in the range of $220/mt to $230/mt. Canadian […] Read more

Livestock, Market talk, Markets

A closer look at western Canadian cattle inventories

Market Talk with Jerry Klassen

By Jerry Klassen October 2, 2020

Statistics Canada released their July 1 semi-annual cattle inventory report on August 20. Statistics Canada does a good job of breaking down the number of cattle as per the type of farm, which provides a good indication of feeder cattle outside feedlots. Their data also provides an estimate of the number of calves under one […] Read more

The feeder cattle market softened earlier this spring; however, in yearling prices made fresh 52-week highs by early August.

Market talk, Markets

The similarities between 2009 and 2020

Market Talk with Jerry Klassen

By Jerry Klassen September 14, 2020

The U.S. and Canadian economies suffered the worst year-over-year contraction in GDP in history during the second quarter of 2020. U.S. GDP contracted at 32.9 per cent on an annual basis during the second quarter; the official Canadian data at the time of writing this article was not yet released but analysts expect the drop […] Read more

Feed markets, Market talk, Markets

Feed grains outlook remains bearish

Market Talk with Jerry Klassen

By Jerry Klassen August 14, 2020

It’s that time of year when I receive many inquiries regarding the feed grain outlook for the upcoming crop year. At the time of writing this article, Lethbridge area feedlots were buying feed barley in the range of $240/mt to $250/mt delivered for nearby delivery while Red Deer operations were showing bids for $228/mt to […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Market talk, Markets

Lower feeder cattle prices spur outburst of emotions

Market Talk with Jerry Klassen

By Jerry Klassen June 8, 2020

In January of 2010, a feeder association in Western Canada asked me to speak at their annual conference. This conference was held just after the major recession of 2009 and these producers wanted to look at options such as supply management for feeder cattle, government price support programs and other ideas to provide a guaranteed […] Read more

Market talk, Markets

Feed grains outlook

Market Talk with Jerry Klassen

By Jerry Klassen May 1, 2020

I’ve received many inquiries regarding the feed grain outlook for the 2020-21 crop year. Grass cattle and calves have been relatively firm over the past month despite the COVID-19 pandemic. It appears that cattle producers are banking on a very bearish corn and barley market for the upcoming fall and winter. Therefore, I thought this […] Read more

Market talk, Markets

A year-over-year decline in calf crops

Market Talk with Jerry Klassen

By Jerry Klassen April 9, 2020

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve received many inquiries about the price outlook for feeder cattle. Calving season has been in full swing for over a month for many cow-calf operations. Producers are concerned about price behaviour over the next four to six months given the recent meltdown in the financial and commodity markets. […] Read more

Beef production will likely be slightly below year-ago levels during the latter half of 2020.

Market talk, Markets

Fed cattle market outlook

Market Talk with Jerry Klassen

By Jerry Klassen March 5, 2020

Alberta fed cattle prices reached up to $275 on a dressed basis during the first half of January but have since come under pressure. At the time of writing this article at the end of January, Alberta packers were showing bids in the range of $262 to $265 delivered. April live cattle futures reached contract […] Read more

Feed markets, Market talk, Markets

Feed barley outlook

Market Talk with Jerry Klassen

By Jerry Klassen February 6, 2020

I’ve received many inquiries from feedlot and backgrounding operators regarding the price outlook for feed barley. The Western Canadian feed grains complex made seasonal lows during September of 2019. Lethbridge area feedlots were buying feed barley at just under $200/mt delivered. However, the market started to ratchet higher during October. Adverse weather and the delayed […] Read more

After peaking in earlier October, yearling markets are now trending lower.

Market talk, Markets

A few observations regarding the feeder cattle market

Market Talk with Jerry Klassen

By Jerry Klassen January 10, 2020

Throughout the fall period, western Canadian calves were trading $10 to $15 below year-ago levels. Yearlings were quite firm earlier in September, reaching up to 52-week highs. After peaking in the first half of October, the yearling market has been slowly trending lower. This is counter-seasonal to price patterns we’ve seen in past years. Usually, […] Read more

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Market talk

Barley market outlook

A closer look at western Canadian cattle inventories

The similarities between 2009 and 2020

Feed grains outlook remains bearish

Lower feeder cattle prices spur outburst of emotions

Feed grains outlook

A year-over-year decline in calf crops

Fed cattle market outlook

Feed barley outlook

A few observations regarding the feeder cattle market

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