Prices at Manitoba’s cattle auctions continued to be among the strongest ever seen during the week ended Sept. 28 — and as the fall run got fully underway, the province saw large numbers of cattle come in for sale.
“It’s very busy,” said Tyler Slawinski, auctioneer for Gladstone as well as the Ashern Auction Mart. “We’ve never seen that many cattle in Gladstone at this time of year.”
The Gladstone auction had 1,220 feeders and slaughter cattle pass through its rings on Sept. 26, easily exceeding the 995 from the previous week.
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Slawinski noted some prices eased back a little during this week, as futures values on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange dipped. However, he lamented some of the ill effects the exorbitant prices have created.
“In my opinion, it’s these prices that are sucking the cattle out early. There are a lot of calves being marketed for these huge prices…that maybe should not be marketed yet. These 200- and 300-pound calves should probably be with their cows a little longer,” he explained.
It’s one thing, he said, to include a few such calves when there are only a handful of them left over.
“What I mean, is when guys are shipping these really small calves, they’re getting lucky marketing them now because the weather has been decent. But if the weather was very poor, the price would definitely reflect, because they take so much pampering and looking after,” he continued.
“They always were high-risk, but they’re more high-risk now because they cost so much money, and you’re just getting a small calf,” Slawinski added, stressing he does not fault the producer for wanting the high prices being offered for small calves.
“Who wouldn’t want to sell a calf for $5 a pound and frame that cheque? They may never see it again. If we get to $6, we don’t know where this thing is at,” he said, noting the cattle market is in “uncharted waters,” and called for greater co-operation with the industry.
“I think I speak for all of the Canadian cattlemen, it would be nice if this thing just maintained some consistency for a decent period of time, to find some stability. Somewhere the producers, the packers, the feedlots and the backgrounders can all find some harmony. That everybody can make a buck, and everybody can win, rather one person gaining and the rest losing.”
Gladstone has also been seeing fresh buyers showing up lately, he said. That has worked out so far as Gladstone recently completed its expansion, which included additional pens and facilities for improved video sales. He said Gladstone will host an open house on Oct. 6 to highlight its expansion.
