Feed weekly outlook: Drought, demand deplete southern Alberta stocks

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Published: May 7, 2021

,

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

MarketsFarm — Prices for feed grains are continuing to go up — and with depleted stocks and dry conditions forecast for the Prairies, they are likely to rise a bit more.

“There’s a shortage of corn. Corn’s at over $400 (per tonne) in southern Alberta. You’ve got barley that’s pushing over $340-$350 and that’s a $50 difference between the two,” said Mike Fleischhauer of Eagle Commodities at Lethbridge, Alta.

“Between the two, we’re starting to see signs that there’s just no inventory left. We’re still a couple of months away from anything new coming in.”

Read Also

Feed weekly outlook: Drought, demand deplete southern Alberta stocks

Entomologist tests trap crops and marigolds to repel flea beetles at an Ag in Motion

An Agriculture Canada entomologist is experimenting with trap crops and marigolds at an Ag in Motion demonstration cropplot

According to Prairie Ag Hotwire from Wednesday, high-delivered bids for Alberta feed barley were at $7.58 per bushel, an increase of 61 cents from last month and $2.57 from last year.

As for Alberta feed wheat, high-delivered bids were at $9.25/bu., 68 cents higher than last month and $2.59 higher than the year before.

Adding to pressures on current feed grain stocks, according to Fleischhauer, are international buyers purchasing new crop, ongoing drought and a new 40,000-head feedlot north of Enchant, about 75 km northeast of Lethbridge.

“In the next 30 to 40 days, we’ll see what transpires. In southern Alberta, it’s limping,” he said.

— Adam Peleshaty reports for MarketsFarm from Stonewall, Man.

About the author

Adam Peleshaty

Adam Peleshaty

Reporter

Adam Peleshaty is a longtime resident of Stonewall, Man., living next door to his grandparents’ farm. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in statistics from the University of Winnipeg. Before joining Glacier FarmMedia, Adam was an award-winning community newspaper reporter in Manitoba's Interlake. He is a Winnipeg Blue Bombers season ticket holder and worked as a timekeeper in hockey, curling, basketball and football.

explore

Stories from our other publications