Co o l e r temperatures and fewer daylight hours are a sure sign that fall is here, and the changing of seasons had an effect at Manitoba auction marts for the week ending Sept. 17.

Robin Hill, manager of Heartland Livestock Services at Virden, said butcher cow and bull prices at its Sept. 15 sale dropped anywhere from three to five cents from the previous week’s auction.

“There’s a lack of demand for hamburger right now, with kids back to school and everybody back into the routine,” Hill said. “The barbecue season is coming to an end.”

The butcher cattle weren’t the only ones seeing slightly lower prices in Virden. Hill said the feeder market was steady to a wee bit lower.

“It looked like the buyers were just a bit pickier on the quality of the yearling trade this week,” he said.

Hill was satisfied with the market for new calves; there were around 300 new calves for sale, demand for them was very strong and the quality of the calves was exceptional, he said. “They’ve had lots of mother’s milk, and they looked as good as they ever have.”

Where cattle prices are going to go is still up in the air, according to Hill, but he said the Canadian dollar will have a large impact on the market. “If the dollar was to drop and we get a few more U. S. orders up here, that could help the market.”

The Sept. 15 sale saw nearly 400 fewer cattle come through the gates in Virden, which Hill attributed to many producers being busy with harvest operations. He also noted numbers were just slightly lower from where they had been one year ago.

Herb Lock of FarmSense in Edmonton said that there are currently 400,000 fewer cows in North America than there were one year ago. Volumes are slightly lower than one year ago, he said, because last year at this time many areas on the Prairies were experiencing a drought.

Manitoba saw conditions that were the exact opposite of a drought this year, and Hill said grazing conditions are still pretty good. “We’ve had lots of pasture this summer and everything still looks good.”

FROM THE AUCTION FLOORS

Note:AllpricesinCanadian dollarsperhundredweight (cwt).Thesepricesalsogenerally representthetopone-third ofsalesreportedbytheauction yard.

Ashern Livestock Mart:An estimated 2,213 head of cattle were sold at the sale held Sept. 15. Included in the sale were 379 slaughter cattle and 1,834 feeders.

In the slaughter market, heiferettes ranged from $55 to $68.50; age-verified D1 and D2 cows, $55-$60; D3 and D5 cows, $49-$56; and good bulls, $49-$73.50.

Feeder steers weighing over 1,000 lbs. ranged from $85 to $98.50; 900-1,000 lbs., $93.50- $106.70; 800-900 lbs., $90- $107.25; 700-800 lbs., $100- $119; 600-700 lbs., $109-$127; 500-600 lbs., $110-$138; 400- 500 lbs., $125-$145; and 300- 400 lbs., $130-$144.25.

Feeder heifers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. brought $80-$96.25; 800-900 lbs., $85-$102.20; 700- 800 lbs., $90-$106.60; 600-700 lbs., $96-$109.25; 500-600 lbs., $97-$114.75; 400-500 lbs., $97- $119.50; and 300-400 lbs., $118- $120.

Gladstone Auction Mart: The Sept. 14 sale saw a total of 671 head of cattle sold at the Gladstone yard. In the slaughter market, bulls sold from $60 to $69 while cows brought $40- $54.

Feeder steers in the 900- to 1,000-lb. weight category traded from $86 to $101.50; 800-900 lbs., $80-$111.50; 700- 800 lbs., $95-$119.50; 600-700 lbs., $100-$122.50; 500-600 lbs., $100-$139; 400-500 lbs., $100- $152; and 300-400 lbs., $94- $146.

Feeder heifers weighing 900 1,000 lbs., sold from $80-$96; 800-900 lbs., $75-$101.75; 700- 800 lbs., $80-$107.75; 600-700 lbs., $80-$112; 500-600 lbs., $90-$120; 400-500 lbs., $90- $129.50 and 300-400 lbs., $90- $127.

Grunthal Livestock Auction Mart:There were 157 slaughter cattle and 640 feeders sold at the Grunthal yard Sept. 15. In the slaughter market, fleshy export cows traded from $57 to $59.75; lean export cows, $50-$54; mature cows, $48-$53; feeding cows, $60-$65; export bulls, $72-$78; and mature bulls, $70-$74.

Feeder heifers weighing 800-900 lbs. sold from $92 to $101.50; 700-800 lbs., $95-$105; 600-700 lbs., $100-$109; 500- 600 lbs., $105-$114; 400-500 lbs., $108-$115; and under 400 lbs., $110-$120.

Feeder steers weighing 800- 900 lbs. traded from $100 to $109.50; 700-800 lbs., $107- $114.25; 600-700 lbs., $110-120; 500-600 lbs., $118-$130; 400- 500 lbs., $125-$142; and under 400 lbs., $130-$142.

Heartland Livestock Services, Brandon:A total of 1,655 cattle were on offer in Brandon during the week. D1-D2 cows sold from $48 to $54, age-verified $52-$57.50; D3 cows, $42-$48; shells, $35- $42; and good bulls, $65-$71.

Feeder steers weighing 900-1,000 lbs. ranged from $95 to $103.50; 800-900 lbs., $98-$110.25; 700-800 lbs. , $105-$115; 600-700 lbs., $110- $118.50; 500-600 lbs., $112- $122.25; 400-500 lbs., $115- $136; and 300-400 lbs., $120- $147.

Feeder heifers weighing 900-1,000 lbs. sold from $88 to $95.25; 800-900 lbs., $90-$98.50; 700-800 lbs., $90-$100.50; 600- 700 lbs., $95-$108.50; 500-600 lbs., $100-$110; 400-500 lbs., $105-$121; and 300-400 lbs., $110-$123.

Heartland Livestock Services, Virden:There were about 961 cattle sold at the sale held Sept. 15. Butcher steers brought $84-$87 while butcher heifers sold from $83 to $86.25. Age-verified/young cows sold from $54 to $58.25; D1 D2 cows, $51-$55; D3 cows, $45- $50; shelly cows, $40-$45; and mature bulls, $67-$71.75.

Feeder steers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. brought $95-$104.25; 800-900 lbs., $100-$110.50; 700- 800 lbs., $106-$115.75; 600-700 lbs., $112-$122; 500-600 lbs., $118-$138; 400-500 lbs., $125- $146; and 300-400 lbs., $125- $153.

Feeder heifers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. traded from $90 to $97; 800-900 lbs., $95-$102; 700-800 lbs., $96-$105.50; 600- 700 lbs., $100-$112; 500-600 lbs., $104-$114; and 400-500 lbs., $107-$123.

Killarney Auction Mart: Killarney did not hold a sale this week.

Pipestone Livestock Sales: Pipestone did not hold a sale this week.

Ste. Rose Auction Mart:A total of 625 cattle were sold at the Sept. 16 sale. In the slaughter market, D1 and D2 cows ranged from $52 to $58; D3-D4 cows, $45-$51; canners, $30- $42; and bulls, $68-$73.

Feeder steers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. brought $94-$102; 800-900 lbs., $102-$110; 700- 800 lbs., $105-$115.50; 600-700 lbs., $110-$124; 500-600 lbs., $118-$130; and 400-500 lbs., $115-$142.

Feeder heifers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. traded from $90 to $95; 800-900 lbs., $90-$98; 700- 800 lbs., $98-$104.50; 600-700 lbs., $100-$107; 500-600 lbs., $100-$113; and 400-500 lbs., $100-$116.

Taylor Auctions, Melita:The sale held Sept. 16 resulted in 139 slaughter cattle and 300 feeders being sold. In the slaughter market, A1 and A2 steers over 1,000 lbs. brought $84-$88; A1 and A2 heifers over 850 lbs., $82-$86.50; D1 and D2 cows, $52-$60; D3 and D5 cows, $48-$52; and good bulls, $68-$72.

Feeder steers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. brought $95-$104; 800-900 lbs., $105-$110; 700- 800 lbs., $110-$118; 600-700 lbs., $115-$125; 500-600 lbs., $120-$130; 400-500 lbs., $128- $138; and 300-400 lbs., $130- $143.

Feeder heifers weighing 800- 900 lbs. traded from $95 to $100; 700-800 lbs., $98-$108; 600-700 lbs., $105-$112; 500- 600 lbs., $110-$118; 400-500 lbs., $115-$120; and 300-400 lbs., $120-$130.

Winnipeg Livestock Sales: There were about 1,035 head of cattle sold during the week ending Sept. 10. In the slaughter market, choice steers and heifers sold for $83.75; dry fed cows, $49-$53; good fleshed, $45-$49; lean, $39-$45; young age-verified, $48-$58; and good bulls, $65-$73.

Feeder steers weighing 800- 900 lbs. brought $95-$106; 700- 800 lbs., $105-$114.50; 600-700 lbs., $108-$118.50; 500-600 lbs., $112-$126; and 400-500 lbs., $120-$135.

Feeder heifers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. traded from $85 to $93.50; 800-900 lbs., $90-$97.50; 700-800 lbs., $95-$105; 600-700 lbs., $98-$106; and 500-600 lbs., $105-$116.