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Good Movement Reported On The Live Cattle Futures Market

Auction Marts were busy again last week with over 6000 head of cattle sold in Saskatchewan.

Provincial Cattle Specialist Natasha Wilkie says feeder steer prices were mixed, while feeder heifer prices were mainly higher across all weight categories last week.

"Feeder steer prices ranged from $241.25 per cwt for the 400-500lb weight category to $183.41 per cwt for the 800-900lb weight category. The largest price increase was seen in the 500-600lb weight category. Those guys went up $9.67 per cwt to end the week averaging $236.67 per cwt. The only price decrease was seen in the 600-700lb weight category, with prices down $0.30 per cwt to end the week averaging $211.20 per cwt."

Feeder heifer prices were mainly higher, with prices ranging from $203.17 per hundred weight for the 400-500lb weight category, to $160.38 per hundred weight for the 800+lb weight category.

The largest price increase was seen in the 400-500lb weight category, with prices increasing by $3.42 per cwt to end the week averaging $203.17 per cwt. The only price decrease was seen in the 500-600lb weight category, decreasing $0.83 per cwt to end the week averaging $192.67 per cwt.

She notes with market ready cows we saw the prices of live non fed cattle in Alberta were mixed week over week.

"We saw the price of D2 slaughter cows lower with prices going down 31 cents per cwt to average $102.44, while the price of D3 slaughter cows saw a price increase of $1.33 per cwt from the previous week to end the week averaging $89.93 per cwt. And we look at the price for Alberta fed steers last week, it was reported at $164.72. So that was a price increase of 40 cents from the previous week's price."

When it comes to the rail price for Alberta fed steers last week they ranged from $271 to $278 per cwt. So that gap widened, you know a fair bit actually, with the prices on the lower end going down $1.75 while the prices on the higher end went up $2.50 per cwt. The rail prices for D2 and D3 cows remained steady again this past week, and so that meant they ranged from $194 to $198 per cwt.

She notes last week we had some good movement on the live cattle futures market and that played out with the Canadian dollar and feed grain prices remaining fairly stable.

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