Ca t t l e prices at the auction marts in Manitoba generally held steady or showed some small improvement during the week ended May 1, with some fairly decent numbers of cattle also continuing to make their way through the doors.

“A lot of the price firmness being seen in cattle reflects the fact that demand from the various outlets continues to outweigh the supply picture,” said Gene Parks, manager of Pipestone Livestock Sales Ltd.

Top-quality animals continued to receive some very good prices, he said, but second-and third-cut cattle saw some large discounting.

The number of cattle being marketed is expected to start turning lighter in the next few weeks as producers begin to turn animals onto pastures for grazing and as their focus turns to the task of spring seeding.

“The numbers are likely to start coming down. Producers have been wanting to get out in the fields and start to seed,” Parks said.

He forecast that the number of cattle being marketed will continue to taper off during the summer months of June, July and August as they have in previous years.

A number of auction marts are also scheduled to close during the first or second week of July and then reopen sometime around the middle to end of August.

Demand for the Manitoba cattle continued to come from a variety of outlets. “We saw some pretty good demand for second-cut cattle from the U. S., but we have also seen steady interest for cattle from Quebec and Ontario,” said Buddy Bergner of Ashern Livestock Sales. Western demand was also evident, with much of that interest being for the bigger cattle.

The steady to firmer prices for cattle in Manitoba have also improved optimism among producers, said Dave Nickel with Gladstone Auction Mart.

“With the improved optimism regarding prices has been increased demand for animals,” Nickel said.

The appreciation of the Canadian dollar during the week, however, was seen as a bit of a concern for cattle producers, with the firmness seen cutting into the price outlook, Parks said.

At the end of the business day on Friday, May 1, a Canadian dollar was worth US84.34 cents. That compares with the previous Friday’s close when one Canadian dollar was worth US82.67 cents.

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 2,469 head of cattle were sold at the sale held April 29. In the slaughter market, heiferettes sold for $60-$70 and older shelly cows, $10 and up, while age-verified D1 and D2 cows traded from $50 to $60. D3 and D5 cows brought $40-$50. Good bulls sold from $60 to $72.50.

Feeder steers weighing 800-900 lbs. ranged from $94 to $106; 700-800 lbs., $97-$114; 600-700 lbs., $100-$124.25; 500-600 lbs., $105-$129.50 and 400-500 lbs., $110-$134.50. Feeder heifers, 800-900 lbs., traded $87-$97; 700-800 lbs., $90-$104; 600-700 lbs., $95-$114; 500-600 lbs., $100-$114.50; and 400-500 lbs., $101-$117.

Gladstone Auction Mart: The April 28 sale saw a total of 1,258 head of cattle sold at the Gladstone yard. In the slaughter market, bulls sold from $55 to $65 while cows brought $15-$55.75.

Feeder steers in the 900-to 1,000-lb. weight category traded from $88 to $96; 800-900 lbs., $90-$102.50; 700-800 lbs., $90-$114; 600-700 lbs., $90-$123.50; 500-600 lbs., $95-$134.75; 400-500 lbs., $115-$132.50; and 300-400 lbs., $118-$134.25.

Feeder heifers weighing 900-1,000 lbs. sold from $65-$87.75; 800-900 lbs., $70-$102.50; 700-800 lbs., $70-$106.75; 600-700 lbs., $75-$112.50; 500-600 lbs., $80-$119.50; 400-500 lbs., $84-$123; and 300-400 lbs., $85-$111.

Grunthal Livestock Auction Mart: There were 141 slaughter cattle and 456 feeders sold at the Grunthal yard on April 29.

In the slaughter market, age-verified cows brought $48-$59.50, while mature cows traded from $35 to $47. Age-verified bulls brought $55.50-$67.50 and mature bulls, $41.50-$55.

Feeder heifers weighing 700-800 lbs. sold from $88-$103.50; 600-700 lbs., $89-$111; 500-600 lbs., $95-$122 and 400-500 lbs., $99-$126.

Feeder steers weighing 900-1,000 lbs., sold from $69 to $94; 800-900 lbs., $86-$97.50; 700-800 lbs., $89-$107; 600-700 lbs., $96-$118; 500-600 lbs., $104-$128 and 400-500 lbs., $108-$134.

Heartland Livestock Services, Brandon: A total of 1,384 cattle were on offer in Brandon during the week.

In the slaughter market, butcher steers ranged from $88 to $93 and heifers, $87-$91. D1-D2 cows sold from $48 to $57 and up to $62 for age verified; D3 cows, $25-$38; and mature bulls, $68-$75.

Feeder steers weighing 900-1,000 lbs. sold from $92 to $99; 800-900 lbs., $98-$107.75; 700-800 lbs., $105-$117.50; 600-700 lbs., $110-$120.50; 500-600 lbs., $115-$133.50; 400-500 lbs., $120-$135.50; and 300-400 lbs., $120-$131. Feeder heifers weighing 900-1,000 lbs. sold from $88 to $97.25; 800-900 lbs., $92-$102.75; 700-800 lbs., $95-$107.75; 600-700 lbs., $102-$113.75; 500-600 lbs., $108-$119; 400-500 lbs., $105-$117.75; and 300-400 lbs., $105-$112.

Heartland Livestock Services, Virden: There were about 869 cattle sold at the sale held on April 29. Butcher steers brought $87-$92.75, while butcher heifers sold from $87 to $91.50. Age-verified young cows sold for $54 to $59; D1-D2 cows, $50-$55; D3 cows, $45-$50; shelly cows, $35-$44; and mature bulls, $68-$75.75.

Feeder steers weighing 900-1,000 lbs. brought $91-$102; 800-900 lbs., $98-$107; 700-800 lbs., $102-$117; 600-700 lbs., $110-$124; 500-600 lbs., $117-$133; and 400-500 lbs., $118-$133. Feeder heifers weighing 900-1,000 lbs. traded from $84 to $94.25; 800-900 lbs., $92-$102.50; 700-800 lbs., $97-$108; 600-700 lbs., $102-$113; 500-600 lbs., $104-$117; and 400-500 lbs., $106-$118.

Pipestone Livestock Sales: There were 859 cattle sold at the sale held April 27. Included in the sale were 90 slaughter animals and 640 feeders.

In the slaughter market, D1 cows brought $51-$59.50; D2 cows brought $36-$49 (age verified $62-$72.75); D3 cows brought $10-$28, while bulls traded from $69 to $76.50.

Feeder steers weighing over 900 lbs. fetched $87-$98; 800-900 lbs., $91-$104.50; 700-800 lbs., $94-$115; 600-700 lbs., $100-$123; 500-600 lbs., $112-$129; and 400-500 lbs., $121-$135. Feeder heifers weighing over 900 lbs. got $76-$88; 800-900 lbs., $84-$97; 700-800 lbs., $90-$109; 600-700 lbs., $93-$111.50; 500-600 lbs., $98-$112; and 400-500 lbs., $100-$115.50.

Ste. Rose Auction Mart Ltd.: A total of 675 cattle sold at the April 30 sale.

In the slaughter market, D1 and D2 cows ranged from $50 to $57, while D3 cows brought $30-$48 and bulls sold from $60 to $72. Feeder steers weighing 800-900 lbs. traded from $100 to $110; 700-800 lbs., $100-$113.50; 600-700 lbs., $110-$125; 500-600 lbs., $115-$130 and 400-500 lbs., $110-$128. Feeder heifers weighing 700-800 lbs. sold from $98 to $109; 600-700 lbs., $102-$110; 500-600 lbs., $105-$114; 400-500 lbs., $105-$118; and 300-400 lbs., $105-$112.

Taylor Auctions, Melita: The sale held April 30 resulted in 75 slaughter cattle and 400 feeders being sold. In the slaughter market, A1-A2 steers over 1,000 lbs. traded at $88-$93; A1-A2 heifers over 850 lbs., $84-$89; D1 and D2 cows sold from $45 to $56; D3 and D5 cows, $35-$45; and good bulls, $65-$75. Feeder steers in the 900-to 1,000-lb. weight category ranged from $85 to $95; 800-900 lbs., $95-$105; 700-800 lbs., $100-$114; 600-700 lbs., $105-$117; 500-600 lbs., $110-$122; 400-500 lbs., $115-$125 and 300-400 lbs., $120-$130. Feeder heifers weighing 800-900 lbs., fetched $90-$100; 700-800 lbs., $90-$104; 600-700 lbs., $95-$110; 500-600 lbs., $100-$112; 400-500 lbs., $105-$118 and 300-400 lbs., $110-$120.

Winnipeg Livestock Sales Ltd.: There were about 1,483 head of cattle sold at the sales held during the week ended May 1. In the slaughter market, dry fed cows brought $42-$53; good fleshed, $36-$46; lean, $30-$40; young age verified, $48-$63; and good bulls, $63-$74.50.

Feeder steers weighing 900-1,000 lbs. brought $90-$98; 800-900 lbs., $98-$104; 700-800 lbs., $104-$113.50; 600-700 lbs., $100-$119; 500-600 lbs., $110-$122.50 and 400-500 lbs., $118-$125. Heifers weighing 800-900 lbs. ranged from $88-$94.50; 700-800 lbs., $95-$106; 600-700 lbs., $104-$112.75; 500-600 lbs., $108-$115; and 400-500 lbs., $110-$120.