Cows herded in to holding pen

‘Gap’ season more active than normal for cattle sales

Poor pasture conditions cause an early-fall calf run prediction

It’s sometimes known as the gap season in cattle markets — that slow time of year between the early spring and fall-winter sales runs. But there are decent profits producers can pick up now, said Rick Wright of Heartland Order Buying. “Cattle are actually bringing a profit and the buyers are a bit reluctant to

Photo: File

Early harvest pressures Prairie barley prices

CNS Canada — Barley prices in Western Canada are falling as an early harvest is weighing on values. “Prices have moderated here,” said Allen Pirness of Market Place Commodities Ltd. Lethbridge, Alta. The surprise rally from last week ended as quickly as it began. Prices which started last week at about C$250 per tonne were





Photo: File

Feed barley defies expectations as prices rally

CNS Canada – Feed barley prices have no business being where they are, based on supply-demand fundamentals, but that hasn’t quelled the rally. With prices for old crop sitting a premium over new crop, most in the industry expected old crop would gradually decline over summer and the two would eventually converge. But dry weather

cattle

Few cattle are on offer to soak up increases in prices

Market watchers haven’t yet seen a ‘wall of cattle’ arrive

With few cattle moving through the system it’s tough to get a real test on prices, but Mike Nernberg of Winnipeg Livestock Sales said small numbers were moving in Alberta. With 50 yearlings sold earlier this week, the count was too small to provide a solid indication of prices, but 900-lb. heifers sold around the


A corn crop in the RM of St. Andrews in Manitoba’s Interlake region on July 5, 2018. (Greg Berg photo)

Ontario, Manitoba corn crops need rain

CNS Canada — Corn development in key growing areas of Ontario and Manitoba remains highly variable as the crop nears its yield-determining phase. “The pollination stage is the critical part of the corn-growing period and I would say probably within the next three weeks we will know what yield is going to look like,” said

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Prairie hay crops look thin in many areas

CNS Canada — Many farmers taking off their first hay cuts are also gathering more talking points to grumble over at coffee row. While many producers are still working to get the first cut done and the situation could change with the second cut, many regions are already reporting below-average yields. “In areas of the