Both volu mes and prices remained solid at Manitoba auction marts during the week ended March 11 and one analyst said there’s still some more room for an increase in value.
Anne Dunford , general manager of Gateway Livestock at Taber, Alta., said the biggest surge of prices may be over, but there is still some room to go higher.
“We may have seen the biggest run-up in price already, but to say that it is over would be a little bit premature based on spring right around the corner, where we often see high prices,” she said.
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Locally, proof of this was seen at the Gladstone Auction Mart’s March 8 sale, where unit manager Dave Nickel said prices were slightly stronger than the previous week.
“We had good demand, with cattle going both east and west,” he said. “Some of the lighter cattle will be going out to grass somewhere.”
Not only were prices strong at the Gladstone sale, but Nickel said he was also impressed with the volume.
“It’s been hanging on pretty good. It’s hard to say how long they are going to keep going like this, because I thought they would be backing off already,” he said.
“There are quite a few guys calving already, but the bigger question is how many guys are calving later,” he said. “It seems more and more guys are calving later in the year, and that’s why we are still seeing strong volumes.”
The reason for later calving, he said, is that a number of producers are looking to expand their herds thanks to strong prices.
“If guys want to expand their herds, which a number of them do around here, it’s easier to do that when the weather is warming for calving,” he said.
Dunford said she had been hearing of some producers looking to build their herds, but also of some who were thinking of going the other way and selling out.
“For everyone you talk to who is thinking of replenishing their herd, you’ll run into another one who is selling out,” she said. “It’s not a one-size- fits-all kind of industry. If you’re older, and nobody’s at home to help out, you might be looking at these higher prices as a good exit strategy, but if you’re young and you have a herd that’s ready to go, then you might be looking at it in a different light.”
FROM THE AUCTION FLOORS
Note:AllpricesinCanadian dollarsperhundredweight. Thesepricesalsogenerally representthetopone-thirdof salesreportedbytheauction yard.
Ashern Livestock Mart:An estimated 2,208 head of cattle were sold at the sale held March 9. In the slaughter market, D1 and D2 cows sold anywhere from $60 to $68; D3 and D5 cows, $55-$60; age verified, $65-$72; and good bulls, $70-$89.50.
Feeder steers weighing 800- 900 lbs. brought $100-$123.50; 700-800 lbs., $124-$140; 600- 700 lbs., $123-$150; 500-600 lbs., $120-$159.50; 400-500 lbs., $135-$165; and 300-400 lbs., $140-$160.
Feeder hei fers weighing 800-900 lbs. brought $112- $117; 700-800 lbs., $114-$125; 600-700 lbs., $117-$138; 500- 600 lbs., $104-$151; 400-500 lbs., $122-$152.50; and 300- 400 lbs., $120-$139.
Gladstone Auction Mart: The March 8 sale saw a total of 1,265 head of cattle sold at the Gladstone yard. In the slaughter market, bulls sold from $60 to $75 while cows brought $30-$66.
Feeder steers weighing 900-1,000 lbs. sold from $85 to $118; 800-900 lbs., $100- $122.50; 700-800 lbs., $105- $133.50; 600-700 lbs., $105- $151; 500-600 lbs., $110-$157; 400-500 lbs., $125-$164; and 300-400 lbs., $134-$171.
Feeder heifers in the 900-to 1,000-lb. category traded from $80 to $103.50; 800-900 lbs., $90- $110; 700-800 lbs., $90-$125.25; 600-700 lbs., $94-$130.50; 500- 600 lbs., $104-$142.50; 400-500 lbs., $100-$159.50; and 300-400 lbs., $90-$159.
Grunthal Livestock Auction Mart:There were 155 slaughter cattle and 689 feeders sold at the Grunthal yard March 9.
In the slaughter market, fleshy export cows traded from $58 to $74; lean export cows, $54-$62; mature cows, $52-$57; and export bulls, $73-$78.
Feeder heifers weighing 700- 800 lbs. brought $105-$124; 600-700 lbs., $108-$127.50; 500-600 lbs., $115-$147; 400- 500 lbs., $120-$159; and under 400 lbs., $115-$146.
Feeder steers weighing 800- 900 lbs. ranged from $120 to $122; 700-800 lbs., $120- $132.50; 600-700 lbs., $120- $147; 500-600 lbs., $122-$169, and 400-500 lbs., $135-$171.
Heartland Livestock Services, Brandon:A total of 1,096 cattle were on offer in Brandon at the March 8 sale. In the slaughter market, D1-D2 cows went for $63- $73; D3 cows, $55-$62; feeder cows, $40-$54; and good bulls, $78-$83.
Feeder steers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. ranged from $105 to $115; 800-900 lbs., $112-$123; 700-800 lbs., $120-$133; 600- 700 lbs., $130-$146; 500-600 lbs., $145-$160; 400-500 lbs., $155-$169; and 300-400 lbs., $160-$170.
Feeder hei fers weighing 900-1,000 lbs. brought $90- $105; 800-900 lbs., $110-$119; 700-800 lbs., $114-$123; 600- 700 lbs., $118-$129; 500-600 lbs., $125-$140; 400-500 lbs., $132-$148; and 300-400 lbs., $135-$152.
Heartland Livestock Ser vices, Vi rden:Pr ices weren’t available from this week’s sale.
Killarney Auction Mart: Prices weren’t available from this week’s sale.
Ste. Rose Auction Mart:A total of 1,311 cattle were sold at the March 10 sale. In the slaughter market, D1 and D2 cows ranged from $62 to $69; D3 and D4 cows, $54-$61; canners, $40-$52; and bulls, $80-$87.
Feeder steers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. brought $103-$112; 800-900 lbs., $112-$127; 700- 800 lbs., $120-$138; 600-700 lbs., $132-$148.50; 500-600
lbs., $144-$160; and 400-500 lbs., $150-$174.
Feeder heifers weighing 800- 900 lbs. brought $108-$120; 700-800 lbs., $112-$122.50; 600-700 lbs., $120-$135; 500- 600 lbs., $126-$141; 400-500 lbs., $130-$150; and 300-400 lbs., $120-$144.
Taylor Auctions, Melita:The sale held March 10 resulted in 98 slaughter cattle and 600 feeders being sold. In the slaughter market, D1 and D2 cows sold from $65 to $72; D3 and D5 cows, $60-$65; and good bulls, $80-$86.50.
Feeder steers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. brought $110-$120; 800-900 lbs., $115-$125; 700-800 lbs., $125-$136; 600-700 lbs., $135-$151; 500-600 lbs., $145- $158; 400-500 lbs., $150-$165; and 300-400 lbs., $155-$170.
Feeder hei fers weighing 800-900 lbs. traded from $105 to $110; 700-800 lbs., $110- $118; 600-700 lbs., $115-$120; 500-600 lbs., $120-$135; 400- 500 lbs., $130-$140; and 300- 400 lbs., $140-$150.
Winnipeg Livestock Sales: There were about 1,400 cattle sold at the sale held March 11. In the slaughter market, age-verified/ young cows ranged from $50 to $68; D1 and D2 cows, $59-$63; D3 cows, $54- $59; shelly cows, $49-$54; and mature bulls, $72-$81.25.
Feeder steers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. brought $98-$106; 800-900 lbs., $105-$116; 700-800 lbs., $123-$136; 600-700 lbs., $132-$146; 500-600 lbs., $142- $158; and 400-500 lbs., $145- $166.
Feeder hei fers weighing 800-900 lbs. traded from $100 to $106; 700-800 lbs., $110- $123.50; 600-700 lbs., $125- $132; 500-600 lbs., $130-$141; and 400-500 lbs., $135-$148.
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– Anne Dunford, Gateway Livestock, Taber, Alta.
“…tosaythatitisoverwouldbe alittlebitpremature…”
