Ca t t l e prices remained strong at Manitoba auction marts during the week ended April 11, and with talk of restaurants raising prices because of the high cost of food, the slaughter market found exceptional strength.
Anne Dunford, general manager of Gateway Livestock at Taber, Alta., said it was only a matter of time before consumers felt the effects of rising cattle prices.
” It’s a case of the cart following the horse. Cattle prices have been moving considerably higher all winter long and now especially this spring,” she said. “The packers are just passing it along asking for higher wholesale prices, which end up in higher prices for consumers. It all goes hand in hand.”
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Six of Manitoba’s major seven livestock auction marts held cattle sales from Jan. 13-20, 2026.
Although slaughter cattle are seeing an exceptionally strong market, an upswing in value is not out of the ordinary for this time of year, she said.
“Seasonally speaking, we are at the peak time for slaughter animals. Steers and heifers have been fed out, so the market says now is the time,” she said.
Traditionally speaking, Dunford added, the slaughter market remains good until the calendar flips to August or September.
The strong slaughter prices have been a welcome sight to Manitoba auction marts and cattle producers.
“They climbed pretty good,” said Dave Nickel, manager of Nickel Auction Services at Gladstone. “Rumour has it they are going to run out of hamburger by the end of June, so prices have been very good.”
Nickel said a fair number of producers in the Gladstone area are still calving, as they have pushed back their operations into April and May.
“They are building up the herds, and also if it is warmer, they don’t have to hire anyone to monitor the calving progress like they do when the temperatures are cold,” he said.
The Canadian dollar surged past the US$1.04 level during the week ended April 11, but Dunford said a lack of supply in the U.S. is keeping demand strong from our southern neighbours.
“Luckily for Canadian producers, the U.S. has incredibly tight beef supplies, and thank goodness they do,” she said. “Had this been the case a year or two ago and we had a dollar of US$1.04, it’d be an entirely different story.”
FROM THE AUCTION FLOORS
Note: All prices in Canadian dollars per hundredweight (cwt). These prices also generally represent the top one-third of sales reported by the auction yard.
Ashern Livestock Mart:An estimated 1,810 head of cattle were sold at the sale held April 6. In the slaughter market, D1 and D2 cows sold anywhere from $70 to $76; D3 and D5 cows, $60-$65; age verified, $80-$92; and good bulls, $70-$95.25.
Feeder steers weighing 800- 900 lbs. brought $108-$126.25; 700-800 lbs., $110-$144; 600-700 lbs., $120-$150; and 500-600 lbs., $130-$169.50. Feeder heifers weighing 700-800 lbs. brought $100-$129; 600-700 lbs., $110- $136; and 500-600 lbs., $120- $136.
Gladstone Auction Mart: The April 5 sale saw a total of 818 head of cattle sold at the Gladstone yard. In the slaughter market, bulls sold from $75- $92.50 while cows brought $30- $74.75.
Feeder steers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. sold from $90 to $107; 800-900 lbs., $95-$123.50; 700- 800 lbs., $105-$136; 600-700 lbs., $110-$152.50; 500-600 lbs., $115- $163; 400-500 lbs., $115-$177; and 300-400 lbs., $120-$180.
Feeder heifers in the 900-to 1,000-lb. weight category traded from $90 to $102; 800-900 lbs., $80-$116; 700-800 lbs., $80-$124; 600-700 lbs., $100-$133.50; 500- 600 lbs., $100-$137.50; 400-500 lbs., $128-$140.50; and 300-400 lbs., $115-$144.
Grunthal Livestock Auction Mart:There were 84 slaughter cattle and 440 feeders sold at the Grunthal yard on April 6. In the slaughter market, fleshy export cows traded from $67 to $72; lean export cows, $61- $67; mature cows, $55-$64; and export bulls, $87-$91.75.
Feeder heifers weighing 800- 900 lbs. brought $105-$119; 700-800 lbs., $110-$123; 600- 700 lbs., $120-$133; 500-600 lbs., $128-$149; 400-500 lbs., $132-$145.50; and under 400 lbs., $120-$132.
Feeder steers weighing 800- 900 lbs. ranged from $110 to $122; 700-800 lbs., $120-$132.50; 600-700 lbs., $128-$145.25; 500- 600 lbs., $138-$154; 400-500 lbs., $145-$161.50; and under 400 lbs., $140-$165.
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 heifers 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 Services, Virden:There were about 996 cattle sold at the sale held on April 6. Butcher steers brought $97-$105.25 while butcher heifers sold from $96 to $104. Ageverified/ young cows ranged from $70 to $76; D1 and D2 cows, $68- $74; D3 cows, $62-$67; shelly cows, $45-$58; and mature bulls, $83-$88.
Feeder steers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. brought $107-$117; 800-900 lbs., $114-$125.75; 700- 800 lbs., $122-$133; 600-700 lbs., $132-$148; 500-600 lbs., $143-$161; 400-500 lbs., $146- $165; and 300-400 lbs., $150- $170.
Feeder hei fers weighing 900-1,000 lbs. traded from $98 to $107.50; 800-900 lbs., $105- $116; 700-800 lbs., $112-$123; 600-700 lbs., $119-$132; 500-600 lbs., $125-$149; and 400-500 lbs., $127-$144.
Killarney Auction Mart:An estimated 719 head of cattle were sold at the sale held April 7. In the slaughter market, D1 and D2 cows sold anywhere from $68 to $78; D3 and D5 cows, $52-$67; and good bulls, $68-$78.
Feeder steers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. brought $89-$106; 800-900 lbs., $114.50-$120.50; 700-800 lbs., $120-$132; 600-700 lbs., $133-$149; 500-600 lbs., $143-$155.50; 400-500 lbs., $149- $164.50; and under 400 lbs., $153-$165.
Feeder heifers weighing 800- 900 lbs. brought $102-$108.50; 700-800 lbs., $117-$123.50; 600- 700 lbs., $121.50-$132; 500-600 lbs., $126.50-$136.50; 400-500 lbs., $128-$139; and under 400 lbs., $131-$150.
Ste. Rose Auction Mart:A total of 868 cattle were sold at the April 7 sale. In the slaughter market, D1 and D2 cows ranged from $70 to $75; D3 and D4 cows, $55- $68; canners, $42-$53; and bulls, $80-$88.
Feeder steers weighing 800- 900 lbs. brought $112-$127; 700- 800 lbs., $122-$138; 600-700 lbs., $130-$146; 500-600 lbs., $144- $161; and 400-500 lbs., $150- $169.
Feeder heifers weighing 700- 800 lbs. brought $110-$129; 600- 700 lbs., $114-$133; 500-600 lbs., $121-$141.50; and 400-500 lbs., $130-$141.
Taylor Auctions, Melita:The sale held April 7 resulted in 80 slaughter cattle and 752 feeders being sold. In the slaughter market, D1 and D2 cows sold from $68 to $75; D3 and D5 cows, $60-$68; and good bulls, $85-$91.50.
Feeder steers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. brought $105-$175; 800-900 lbs., $115-$125; 700-800 lbs., $125-$138; 600-700 lbs., $140-$148; 500-600 lbs., $150- $165; 400-500 lbs., $155-$170; and 300-400 lbs., $160-$175.
Feeder heifers weighing 800- 900 lbs. traded from $110 to $118; 700-800 lbs., $120-$130; 600-700 lbs., $125-$135; 500- 600 lbs., $130-$140; 400-500 lbs., $140-$155 and 300-400 lbs., $150-$160.
Winnipeg Livestock Sales: There were about 1,690 cattle sold at the sale held April 8. In the slaughter market, age-verified/ young cows ranged from $60 to $75; D1 and D2 cows, $67- $73; D3 cows, $64-$67; shelly cows, $50-$63; and mature bulls, $87-$94.
Feeder steers weighing 800- 900 lbs. brought $115-$126; 700- 800 lbs., $125-$138; 600-700 lbs., $130-$152; 500-600 lbs., $140- $160; and 400-500 lbs., $140- $165.
Feeder heifers weighing 800- 900 lbs. traded from $100 to $114; 700-800 lbs., $115-$128; 600-700 lbs., $120-$133; 500-600 lbs., $130-$146; and 400-500 lbs., $130-$150.
