AUCTIONS | Manitoba's animals are still eastbound, westbound — and southbound
One week after wintry weather caused some no-shows, Manitoba’s cattle auctions saw a definite increase in the number of animals through the rings for the week ended Nov. 25.
During the week, 13,498 cattle were sold at auction in Manitoba with two sites, Heartland-Virden and Ste. Rose, surpassing the 2,000-head mark at their respective sales. By comparison, only 9,765 were sold during the previous week.
Tyler Slawinski, auctioneer at both Ashern and Gladstone Auction Marts, said that while better weather may have brought more cattle to be sold, last summer’s drought delaying the fall run could also be a factor for the increase.
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“Most barns were right to capacity this week,” he said. “Maybe our fall run (was) postponed until now. Things were steady up until now. They weren’t extremely full but I don’t know if we will see a great big boom like the one we’ve seen this week. I think that was one of the busiest weeks of the marketing season.”
Slawinski also noticed plenty of heavier calves for sale, which he attributes to fall rains aiding pasture growth.
“There wasn’t a lot of grass this year, but there was a lot of value in the grass, a lot of protein in the grass. With that second growth that came after that big rain we saw across the Prairies here, it really brought that lush grass with a lot of protein and energy. There are definitely a lot of pounds showing up in the calves earlier on,” he added.
Some price changes were evident, including a slight decline in lightweight heifers and a slight increase in lightweight steers. Unlike last week, steers exceeding 700 pounds sold for more than $200 per hundredweight.
“The good top-quality calves are still bringing in a premium, whether they are Char, black or red,” Slawinski said. “They’re fitting those orders and going east and some are going west. I think with the dollar the way it is, some cattle are trickling south.”
He also noticed price increases in cows and bulls, but expects lower numbers coming.
On the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), the December live cattle contract reached US$137.975/cwt on Nov. 24, its highest level since Aug. 24. The January feeder cattle contract reached as high as US$167.225/cwt, also on Nov. 24, a price not seen since Sept. 3. Futures markets were closed on Nov. 25 due to the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday.
The Canadian dollar also declined by one-third of a U.S. cent during the week.
“Things are headed in the right direction. They’re on the rise. Just look at the market reports the last couple of weeks. We’re adding instead of subtracting on to the final prices, which is what everyone wants to see in the cattle industry,” Slawinski said.
“I think as far as numbers go, I think they’re going to remain steady right up until the week before Christmas.”
