For the week ending December 14, Western Canadian feeder cattle prices were relatively unchanged from seven days earlier.
The market continues to digest the U.S. border closure to Mexican feeder cattle, which is drawing more U.S. demand towards Western Canada. Auction market volumes are declining at this time of year. The quality of cattle was sub-par in some regions which caused prices to be quite variable.
Larger strings of quality backgrounded cattle and pre-conditioned weaned calves were very well bid. Smaller packages of stragglers experienced appropriate discounts. Alberta packers were buying fed cattle on a dressed basis at $418/cwt delivered this past week, up $3/cwt from seven days earlier. Strength in the April live cattle futures has caused feedlot margins for spring to move into positive territory which has caused buyers to be more aggressive.
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In central Alberta, a handful of mixed heifers on silage diet with full processing records averaging 988 pounds traded for $310. North of Calgary, Simmental cross steers on barley and silage diet with full health data weighing 910 pounds traded for $350. Northwest of Winnipeg, Charolais blended steers with light flesh weighing 890 pounds silenced the crowd at $348.
In the Calgary region, larger wide-frame Limousin weaned calves on light grain and forage diet averaging just over 800 pounds were last bid at $380. Northwest of Saskatoon, larger frame Simmental cross, weaned, light flesh, steers weighing 750 pounds sold for $390. At the Ponoka sale, mixed heifers on the card at 713 pounds coming of oats and barley silage diet apparently traded for $350.
In western Manitoba, Angus-blended, semi-weaned steers around 630 pounds reportedly moved through the ring at $456. At the same sale, Charolais heifers averaging 640 pounds reached up to $396. The Meadow Lake auction market report had black mixed steers averaging 560 pounds selling for $493. In central Alberta, Gelbvieh cross steers coming off cows and a hay diet weighing just over 500 pounds sold for $490. South of Calgary, black mixed bawling heifers weighing 480 pounds notched the board at $450. South of Brandon, black mixed steers weighing just over 500 pounds were last bid at $529 and similar quality heifers averaging 407 pounds were quoted at $544. .
In the Lethbridge area, red mixed ‘run of the mill’ bred cows traded in the range of $5,000 to $5300 per cow. Good quality bred heifers continue to trade in the range of $4300 to $5000 in central and southern Alberta.
The USDA December WASDE Report had U.S. beef production for the fourth quarter of 2025 at 6.040 billion pounds, down 890 million pounds from the fourth quarter of 2024. This is driving the market for light weight calves and bred cows.
— Jerry Klassen is president and founder of Resilient Capital, specializing in proprietary commodity futures trading and market analysis. Jerry consults with feedlots on risk management and writes a weekly cattle market commentary. He can be reached at 204-504-8339 or via his website at ResilCapital.com.
