It was a merry end of March for Manitoba cattle auction sites as prices remained elevated during the week ended March 30.
At least 8,860 cattle went through the rings in the final week of March with some sites seeing feeder and butcher cattle selling at levels rarely seen.
Kirk Kiesman, manager at Ashern Auction Mart, said the focus of buyers has already shifted toward heifers and away from feeder steers.
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“The heifer market’s gone up considerably over the last two weeks. We’ve probably seen a $100 (per hundredweight) jump in three weeks for the price of heifer cows,” he said.
At the weekly sale in Ashern on March 29, heifers sold for up to $351/cwt., the highest price out of nine auction sites in the province. Heifers weighing 500 pounds or less sold for $240 to $351/cwt., compared to $240 to $330 during the previous week.
Feeder steers have seen higher prices with one in Grunthal selling for $415/cwt. At all the other sites, steers weighing 500 lb. or less sold at a minimum greater than $300/cwt. The price range during the previous week was $270 to $390/cwt.
In the slaughter market, D1 and D2 cows sold for $100 to $139/cwt. during the week ended March 30, compared to $100 to $130 in the previous week. The price range for mature bulls was $105 to $166/cwt., while heiferettes sold for $100 to $198/cwt.
Asked if he had seen prices this high for butcher cattle, Kiesman said no.
“I could see heifer prices strengthening a little bit more yet. Steers have been steady now for a few weeks. As of right now, I don’t know if we’ll see a big jump in steer prices until prior to grass (season),” he added.
On the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the April live cattle contract set a new high on March 30, rising to US$167.650/cwt. before closing 10 cents lower. Meanwhile, the April feeder cattle contract nearly returned to the $200/cwt. level for the first time in three weeks, reaching a daytime high of $199.950/cwt. before ending the day five cents lower. The shrinking cattle herd in the United States has been a primary driver of prices.
Kiesman said cattle have been sold locally as well as to Western and Eastern Canada. He also sees a bright side to Manitoba’s slow start to spring.
“(During) calving, it’s been minus 24 (degrees C) at night and we’re almost into April. I know guys who are telling me how cold it is at night for calving at night, but cold weather keeps sickness away. There are pros and cons for everything.”
The Japanese government announced March 27 that it will lift the last of its restrictions on Canadian beef and cattle imports, which were first implemented in 2003 after Canada’s herd was devastated by BSE. Processed beef and beef patties will now be accepted into Japan, according to the announcement. Canadian beef exports to Japan totalled $518 million in 2022.
