A few Manitoba cattle auction sites closed their doors for the holiday season after their final regular sales of 2023.
Gladstone, Ashern and Ste. Rose Auction Marts all conducted their final cattle sales before the New Year on Dec. 11, 13 and 14, respectively. Winnipeg Livestock Sales had one more regular sale on Dec. 15, while Grunthal Livestock Auction Mart and Heartland Livestock Services (HLS) in Brandon had their final auctions on Dec. 19. HLS Virden hosted its final regular sale on Dec. 20. Killarney Auction Mart will continue with its Monday sales.
The number of cattle through the rings in Killarney on Dec. 11 was slightly less than half of that in the previous week, declining from 1,078 to 531. General manager Allan Munroe confirmed that activity is starting to slow.
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“It’s been a very, very busy fall. There have been a ton of cattle that have went through the system. We’re just sort of at the end of the run,” he said.
Lightweight cattle prices in Killarney were strong, according to Munroe, but declined nevertheless. Feeder steers weighing 500 pounds or less sold for $370 to $408 per hundredweight on Dec. 11, compared to a range of $375 to $430/cwt. one week earlier. Feeder heifers in the same weight classes sold for $300 to $337/cwt., down from $320 to $355/cwt. on Dec. 4.
Prices for D1 and D2 slaughter cattle remained the same in Killarney, while there was a small increase in prices for butcher steers. Munroe added that cattle quality was mixed at the last sale.
“The good ones were good, but there was a lot going through that we’re waiting to sell,” he said. “This was the last week for feeders to really sell this season. We’re just finding new homes for them until the end of the year.”
After hitting a seven-month low on Dec. 7, the February live cattle contract at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange gained US$5.40/cwt. to close Dec. 14 at $167.925. The January feeder cattle contract ended the week at $219.350/cwt., a weekly gain of $9.075.
Munroe said one load of cattle moved into Ontario during the week, but most cattle were either staying local or heading west.
With record cattle prices throughout much of the fall and the winter so far, on both the Prairies and the CME, Munroe considered 2023 to be a successful year.
“We had big numbers coming through the markets this fall and big prices. It’s a good time to be in business.”
Manitoba Beef Producers will have its 45th annual general meeting, trade show and president’s banquet at the Victoria Inn Hotel and Convention Centre in Brandon on Feb. 8 and 9, 2024.
To register and see a list of guest speakers and a draft agenda, visit the Manitoba Beef Producers website.
