For Allan Munroe and the Killarney Auction Mart, the last few months have been the best of times, as good numbers of cattle continue to flow in and prices are at their highest levels in decades.
“Sales are doing very well these days. We surpassed the best we (have) ever seen before, so it makes it very hard to com- plain,” he said.
The April 24 auction also marked Killarney’s second sale of the month. The auction was closed April 10 and 17.
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Munroe said the cattle market has essentially gone back to “fundamental economics,” in that demand has outstripped supply.
“The cow herd is lower than it’s been in decades and the fat prices are right up there. We were just shy of 900 head this week, and for the end of April, that’s a very good number.”
Among the sustained flow of cattle to auction have been fall calves. Munroe said quite a few were at Killarney’s April 24 sale, and he expects more to be auctioned May 1.
Prices have risen somewhat over April levels at Killarney, with 400- to 500-lb. feeder steers selling for $310-$357.50 per hundredweight on April 24. Back at the beginning of the month, those steers fetched $315-$340/cwt.
It’s a similar story for feeder heifers, as 600- to 700-pounders garnered $270- $294/cwt. last week, compared to $255- $275/cwt. four weeks ago.
As for the frequency of Killarney’s auctions, Munroe said May 1 will be the last weekly sale and it will then move to a bi-weekly schedule. With sales on May 15 and 29, the sale yard can work around the Victoria Day long weekend. Killarney’s first auction in June is scheduled for the 12th.
Some other auctions around the province indicate they plan to stick with weekly sales for now. Gladstone’s website lists weekly sales through to May 16. Grunthal shows the same up to June 13. Ste. Rose’s online calendar has regular auctions to May 18.
As for Heartland Livestock Services, its Brandon facility was closed last week for maintenance and it will skip May 16 auctions for the same reason. Otherwise it will host weekly sales. HLS at Virden will run sales every week in May, except for May 10.
Although times are good in the cattle industry, the worst of times may be lurking. Some Manitoba auctions have seen a decline in the number of producers as they retire or get out of the business. The cattle herds in both Canada and the U.S. remain near or at their lowest numbers on record.
