Activity at Manitoba’s cattle auction yards remained strong during the week ended Nov. 12, with large volumes of cattle still moving as part of the fall run being met with firm demand.

“We had over 3,000 cattle this week, and we’ll have over 3,000 again next week,” said Buddy Bergner of Ashern Livestock Mart, adding that “the market seems to be holding, even with the dollar basically at par.

“There seems to be a lot of optimism that these cattle will be all right,” he said, noting the majority of the Manitoba feeder cattle at auction were either heading to feedlots in Alberta or Ontario.

The fact that the cattle markets have been strong this year, despite the strong Canadian dollar, is “nice to see,” according to Jay Fox, president of Manitoba Beef Producers. The strong prices were tied to the declining global cattle numbers, he said, and commented that “the free market strikes again.”

The supply/demand balance was still dictating the cattle prices, Fox said, but the rising feed costs could eventually hurt the cattle market.

Producers in Western Canada were still trying to get a handle on what they will have for feed supplies, he said. While grain production was lower in many cases, there were also plenty of areas that ended up with good crops and the question now is how much will grade as feed.

Many cattle producers and feedlots in Manitoba were hit hard by wet weather this year, Fox said, expecting some feedlots would choose to keep their lots empty this year and rebuild next year. As a result, he expected to see more animals heading south or to Alberta for feeding over the winter.

Manitoba Beef Producers is currently working with the federal and provincial government in an effort to get some more funds for producers hurt by flooding. However, another issue is the fact that producers selling their cows now will be forced to buy animals back at a higher price in the future, given the rising market.

As a result, Fox expected the general herd liquidation of the past few years will likely continue, with producers exiting the market altogether and not returning.

FROM THE AUCTION FLOORS

Note:All prices in Canadian dollars per hundredweight. These prices also generally represent the top one-third of sales reported by the auction yard.

Ashern Livestock Mart:An estimated 3,037 head of cattle were sold at the sale held Nov. 3. Included in the sale were 250 slaughter cattle and 2,987 feeders.

In the slaughter market, D1 and D2 cows sold anywhere from $45 to $51, with age-verified animals bringing up to $55; D3 and D5 cows, $35-$42; and good bulls, $60-$70.

Feeder steers weighing 800- 900 lbs. ranged from $100 to $111; 700-800 lbs., $108-$118; 600-700 lbs., $115-$130; 500-600 lbs., $120-$145; 400-500 lbs., $130-$161; and 300-400 lbs., $142-$156.

Feeder heifers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. brought $97-$105; 800-900 lbs., $95-$109; 700-800 lbs., $100-$109; 600-700 lbs., $98-$114; 500-600 lbs., $95- $121; 400-500 lbs., $110-$133; and 300-400 lbs., $119-$134.

Gladstone Auction Mart: The Nov. 9 sale saw a total of 1,281 head of cattle sold at the Gladstone yard. In the slaughter market, bulls sold from $53 to $57.75 while cows brought $30- $51.75.

Feeder steers in the 900-to 1,000-lb. weight category traded from $85 to $98.50; 800-900 lbs., $85-$109.50; 700-800 lbs., $95-$114.75; 600-700 lbs., $105- $127.50; 500-600 lbs., $110- $139; 400-500 lbs., $110-$156; and 300-400 lbs., $100-$162.50.

Feeder heifers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. sold from $80 to $101; 800-900 lbs., $75-$103; 700-800 lbs., $80-$105.50; 600-700 lbs., $85-$119.50; 500-600 lbs., $85-

$124; 400-500 lbs., $100-$153.75; and 300-400 lbs., $100-$135.

Grunthal Livestock Auction Mart:There were 165 slaughter cattle and 745 feeders sold at the Grunthal yard on Nov. 10.

In the slaughter market, fleshy export cows traded from $48 to $51.75; lean export cows, $42-$47; mature cows, $40-$46; feeding cows, $49-$55; export bulls, $57-$61; and mature bulls, $53-$58.

Feeder heifers weighing 900-1,000 lbs. sold from $88 to $102; 800-900 lbs., $95-$108; 700-800 lbs., $98-$105; 600-700 lbs., $104-$114.50; 500-600 lbs., $112-$119; 400-500 lbs., $118- $137; and under 400 lbs., $130- $141.

Feeder steers weighing 800- 900 lbs. ranged from $102 to $112; 700-800 lbs., $108-$114; 600-700 lbs., $112-$126.50; 500- 600 lbs., $125-$137; 400-500 lbs., $135-$156; and under 400 lbs., $150-$171.

Heartland Livestock Services, Brandon:A total of 3,497 cattle were on offer in Brandon during the week ended Nov. 12. In the slaughter market, butcher steers brought $79-$83; butcher heifers, $79-$83; D1-D2 cows, $48-$52; D3 cows, $42-$48; and mature bulls, $60-$66.25.

Feeder steers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. ranged from $100 to $108; 800-900 lbs., $105-$113.75; 700-800 lbs., $110-$116.50; 600- 700 lbs., $115-$127; 500-600 lbs., $125-$137.50; 400-500 lbs., $130-$152; and 300-400 lbs., $135-$166.

Feeder heifers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. brought $92-$99.50; 800-900 lbs., $90-$109; 700-800 lbs., $95-$111; 600-700 lbs., $105-$114; 500-600 lbs., $110- $119; 400-500 lbs., $115-$131; and 300-400 lbs., $116-$134.

Heartland Livestock Services, Virden:There were about 3,721 cattle sold at the sale held Nov. 10.

Butcher steers brought $82- $86.75, while butcher heifers sold from $81 to $84.75. Ageverified/ young cows ranged from $48 to $53.50; D1-D2 cows, $46-$51; D3 cows, $41- $46; shelly cows, $20-$30; and mature bulls, $60-$65.50.

Feeder steers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. brought $97-$107; 800-900 lbs., $104-$114.75; 700- 800 lbs., $109-$118.50; 600-700 lbs., $112-$126.25; 500-600 lbs., $119-$134; 400-500 lbs., $130- $152; and 300-400 lbs., $138- $164.

Feeder heifers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. traded from $90 to $100; 800-900 lbs., $97-$109; 700-800 lbs., $98-$106.50; 600- 700 lbs., $103-$117; 500-600 lbs., $109-$124; and 400-500 lbs., $114-$135.

Killarney Auction Mart: There were 1,070 cattle sold at the Nov. 8 sale. In the slaughter market, D1 and D2 cows ranged from $54 to $63.50; D3 and D4 cows, $35-$54; and slaughter bulls, $59-$67.25.

Feeder steers weighing over 900 lbs. sold for $80 to $106; 800-900 lbs., $92-$112; 700-800 lbs., $104-$115.50; 600-700 lbs., $118-$135; 500-600 lbs., $125- $136.50; 400-500 lbs., $134- $153; and 300-400 lbs., $148- $171.50.

Feeder heifers weighing over 900 lbs. brought $78; 800-900 lbs., $88.50-$95.50; 700-800 lbs., $93.50-$105.50; 600-700 lbs., $98-$114.50; 500-600 lbs., $110-$124.50; 400-500 lbs., $114.50-$128.50; 300-400 lbs., $116-$134.50; and 200-300 lbs., $112.50.

Ste. Rose Auction Mart:A total of 1,290 cattle were sold at the Nov. 11 sale. In the slaughter market, D1 and D2 cows ranged from $40 to $47; D3-D4 cows, $32-$41; canners, $25-$32; bulls, $61-$67; and medium bulls, $55-$65.

Feeder steers weighing 800- 900 lbs. brought $101-$110; 700- 800 lbs., $107-$117; 600-700 lbs., $118-$124; 500-600 lbs., $125- $142; 400-500 lbs., $135-$149; and 300-400 lbs., $140-$167.

Feeder heifers weighing 800- 900 lbs. brought $95-$107.75; 700-800 lbs., $98-$105; 600-700 lbs., $108-$115; 500-600 lbs., $112-$126; 400-500 lbs., $120- $137; and 300-400 lbs., $115- $140.

Taylor Auctions, Melita:The sale held on Nov. 11 resulted in 180 slaughter cattle and 1,239 feeders being sold. In the slaughter market, D1 and D2 cows sold from $45 to $52; D3 and D5 cows, $35-$45; and good bulls, $62-$67.

Feeder steers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. brought $100-$105; 800-900 lbs., $105-$115; 700-800 lbs., $112-$118; 600-700 lbs., $118-$128; 500-600 lbs., $125- $135; 400-500 lbs., $140-$155; and 300-400 lbs., $155-$168.

Feeder heifers weighing 800- 900 lbs. traded from $95 to $100; 700-800 lbs., $100-$112; 600-700 lbs., $105-$115; 500-600 lbs., $110-$122; 400-500 lbs., $115- $130; and 300-400 lbs., $120- $135.

Winnipeg Livestock Sales: There were no numbers available from the week’s sale.

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“Thefreemarket strikesagain.”