The Louis Riel Day long weekend in Manitoba only slightly reduced the number of cattle going through the rings at most auction sites during the week ended Feb. 22.
Six of eight sites saw at least 1,000 animals sold at their regular sales, and five sold more cattle than the week before. But while 11,969 cattle were sold for the week ended Feb. 16, the figure for the week ended Feb. 22 was 10,527.
The number of cattle sold during the regular sale at Heartland Livestock Services in Brandon fell from 1,418 on Feb. 13 to 210 one week later due to the long weekend and a push toward pre-sort sales. Prices still look good, according to Brandon general manager Brad Delgaty.
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“Demand is very high. There is a lot of demand right now. The cattle prices are very strong,” Delgaty said.
Feeder cattle price movement was mixed. Steers weighing 600-700 pounds were sold in a range of $345 to $375 per hundredweight, while heifers 700-800 lb. sold for $275 to $311/cwt.
At the previous week’s sale, price ranges were $350 to $405/cwt. and $325 to $375/cwt., respectively. However, 400- to 500-lb. heifers went from selling at $345 to $390/cwt. on Feb. 13 to between $360 and $420/cwt. one week later.
Cows sold for $105 to $136/cwt., compared to $100 to $134 the previous week. Mature bulls were bought for $145 to $165/cwt. on Feb. 20, steady to lower than $145 to $172 the week before.
Statistics Canada released its Jan. 1 livestock estimates on Feb. 23, which showed the country’s cattle herd declined by 2.1 per cent to 11.1 million cattle and calves. The total is the lowest since 1989, with StatCan citing record prices, drought conditions and tight feed supply as reasons for the shrinking herd.
Nearby live and feeder cattle contracts at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange reached four-month highs during the week ended Feb. 22. The April live cattle contract added US$0.950/cwt. during the week and closed at $186.550 on Feb. 22 after hitting $189.200 earlier in the day, its highest level since Oct. 20.
The March feeder cattle contract ended the week at US$252.050/cwt., a gain of $4.950. The contract reached $254.725, a price unseen since Oct. 18.
As many cattle producers get busy with calving, Delgaty doesn’t expect price changes in the coming weeks.
“I think they’re going to stay right where they are for a while,” he said. “The futures are all in our favour, so I think they’re going to stay very strong.”
Manitoba Beef Producers hosted its 45th annual general meeting in Brandon on Feb. 8 and 9 where a few new people were elected to the executive.
Matthew Atkinson will serve another year as president and Arvid Nottveit was elected vice-president, replacing Mike Duguid, who will become secretary in place of Nancy Howatt, who served the maximum six years on the board.
Past-president Tyler Fulton will be vice-president. Mark Schram will replace Howatt as District 2 director, while Brian English will fill the vacancy at the director position in District 6.
