The Manitoba cattle market remains strong, with good prices for feeder and slaughter cattle, according to Ashern Auction Mart manager Kirk Kiesman. “Everyone who is selling is happy,” Kiesman said about the Ashern auction. “Probably in the last two weeks we have seen the market kind of pick up five to 10 cents more [per pound] in similar classes of cattle.”
Cow prices have also gained strength. “Slaughter cows have gone up into that mid 20’s to low 30’s for feeder-type cattle going directly to slaughter,” said Kiesman.
Among the feeder steers at Ashern, the most notable gains came with 400 to 500 pounders. At the Feb. 14 sale, steers fetched $400 to $500 per hundredweight compared to $340 to $390 at the Feb. 7 auction.
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For heavier 600-700 lb. steers, prices rose to $321 to $418/cwt. from $310 to $408 the previous week.
With feeder heifers, most prices among weight classes were steady, but there was a gain in the 700 to 800 pounders. On Feb. 14 they sold for $294 to $310.25/cwt. compared to $269 to $300 on Feb. 7. The 400-500 lb. heifers eased back to $320 to $355/cwt. from $310 to $404 a week earlier.
Slaughter prices at Ashern were steady, with a slight change on D1 and D2 cows. On Feb. 14 they went for $125 to $142/cwt. versus Feb. 7 prices of $125 to $134.50. Mature bulls pulled back, at $119 to $161.50/cwt. from $140 to $188 the previous week.
Kiesman said prices for feeder and slaughter cattle are still drawing good volumes to auction. On Feb. 14, Ashern sold 781 feeders and 186 slaughter animals compared to 1,242 feeders and 88 for slaughter the previous week.
Among the province’s eight cattle auctions, numbers sold jumped 44 per cent from week to week. During Feb. 2-8, 6,689 sold. Sales Feb. 9-15 tallied 11,969.
“The higher prices are definitely drawing some out a little bit each week,” he said. “Typically producers have a set time when they sell. We always tells guys that if you’re going to market your cattle, to be consistent year after year instead of trying to chase the highs and lows.”
