Ac t i v – ity at the Manitoba cattle auction yards still in operation over the slow summer period held relatively steady during the week ended July 23, with values holding firm but numbers at their seasonally normal low levels.
“Numbers have slowed down quite a bit, and right now everyone is trying to hay,” said Keith Cleaver, manager of Heartland Livestock Services in Brandon. He said hay supplies were shaping up to be pretty good this year, but persistent wetness in some areas was making it difficult to get that hay put up.
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Cleaver said while some areas will be short of feed, “for the most part, if they can get it off, there’ll be a lot of hay.”
With much of the grain crops in Manitoba dealing with quality issues this year, Cleaver said feed costs could be very reasonable this fall, which would bode well for the cattle sector.
Of the animals moving through the market, Cleaver said the composition was rather mixed, with cull cows, bulls, feeders, young calves and even a few yearlings all finding their way into the mix.
Cleaver said demand was also a mixed bag, with some of the yearlings going east and west, while the lighter animals were mostly staying locally.
“There’s not too much going south as of yet,” said Cleaver. He expected demand from the U. S. when the fall run starts up will depend on where the Canadian dollar is at that time. In the meantime, there was still some demand for cull cows and age-verified slaughter animals from the U. S., keeping values for those cattle underpinned.
Looking ahead, Cleaver said the feeder cattle market was shaping up to be a little stronger than last year. However, with the increased number of cows being culled in recent years, the numbers will likely be down.
FROM THE AUCTION FLOORS:
(NoteallpricesinCdn$per cwt.Thesepricesalsogenerally representthetoponethird ofsalesreportedbytheauction yard.)
Ashern Livestock Mart: Ashern is closed until mid- August.
Gladstone Auction Mart: Closed until August 16.
Grunthal Livestock Auction Mart:There was no auction held this week.
Summer Schedule:Auctions will be held every other week in July and August.
Heartland Livestock Services, Brandon:A total of 144 cattle were on offer in Brandon during the week.
A1-A2 steers traded from $77-$84; A1-A2 heifers $76- $82.25; D1-D2 cows $55-$61; D3 cows $48-$54; shells $35- $47 and good bulls $72-$75.25.
Feeder steers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. sold from $85-$88; 800-900 lbs. $98-$101; 700- 800 lbs. $102-$111; 600-700 lbs. $105-$114.75; 500-600 lbs. $110-$117; and 400-500 lbs. $110-$114.
Feeder heifers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. sold from $80-$87.25; 800-900 lbs. $85-$91.75; 700- 800 lbs. $90-$104.50; 600-700 lbs. $98-$106.50 and 500-600 lbs. $100-$109.
Summer Schedule:Auctions will be held every Tuesday.
Heartland Livestock Services, Virden:There were about 241 cattle sold at the sale held on July 21.
Butcher steers brought $80- $84 while butcher heifers sold from $79-$83.25. Age-verified/ young cows sold from $58-$62; D1 D2 cows $57-$61; D3 cows $53-$57; shelly cows $48-$53 and mature bulls $70-$75.
Feeder steers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. brought $88-$97.50; 800-900 lbs. $95-$104; 700- 800 lbs. $99-$111; 600-700 lbs. $105-$116; 500-600 lbs. $110- $122; 400-500 lbs. $110-$124.
Feeder heifers weighing 900- 1,000 lbs. traded from $78-$88; 800-900 lbs. $86-$95; 700-800 lbs. $90-$102; 600-700 lbs. $98- $107; 500-600 lbs. $100-$110 and 400-500 lbs. $100-$111.
Summer Schedule:Auctions will be held every Wednesday.
Killarney Auction Mart: Killarney is now closed until mid-August.
Pipestone Livestock Sales: Pipestone is closed until the end of August.
Ste. Rose Auction Mart Ltd.: The next sale will be held on August 12.
Taylor Auctions, Melita: The next sale will be held on August 19.
Winnipeg Livestock Sales Ltd.:There were about 214 head of cattle sold during the week ending on July 23.
In the slaughter market, choice steers and heifers sold from $80-$83; select steers and heifers $76-$80; dry fed cows $47-$52; good-fleshed $44-$47; lean $40-$44; young age verified $50-$61 and good bulls $65-$77.50.
Su m m e r Schedule: Winnipeg will hold a sale on Fridays only.
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– Keith Cleaver
“Forthemost part,iftheycan getitoff,there’ll bealotofhay.”
