To auctioneer Tyler Slawinski, the Manitoba cattle industry could be in a more difficult situation than it’s in now. He pointed out the severe drought this year has meant a shortage of feed grain — but not to the extent it appeared to be a few months ago.
“People went from not enough feed to… hopefully maintaining a lot more of their breeding stock,” said Slawinski, who auctioneers at the Gladstone and Ashern auction Marts.
However, the industry is not out of the proverbial woods just yet, as there’s been very little rain so far this fall in Manitoba.
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“Things aren’t in panic mode again, but the dryness is creeping back in again,” he said.
The above-normal temperatures have given producers the opportunity to keep cattle in pastures a little longer, which has somewhat delayed the big push for the fall run.
“We are starting to see more cattle, but we are not flooded with cattle yet,” Slawinski said, suggesting the large numbers are soon to come.
The move to sell off herds during the summer, usually when most of the province’s auctions are closed, has spread out the influx of cattle to Manitoba’s eight auction facilities, he explained.
Despite having more feed than previously expected, Slawinski said feed grains prices are “absolutely ridiculous.”
Over the course of the past 12 months, feed barley prices in Manitoba have jumped $4.21 per bushel, according to Prairie Ag Hotwire. As of Oct. 7, they ranged from $7.80 to $7.88/bu.
It’s a similar story for feed wheat, which has climbed $4.50/bu. over the year. Prices across the region are from $9.71 to $10/bu., with further upswings to come.
As for cattle prices, Slawinski said the heavier cattle of 700 to 1,000 lbs. didn’t change a great deal this week, but there was downward movement in the light cattle of 300 to 700 lbs.
Prices among the heavies at the Gladstone’s Oct. 5 auction were $175-$193.50 per hundredweight for feeder steers, compared to $183-$190.50 on Sept. 28. Feeder heifers were most recently $159.50-$172/cwt versus $142-$175 the previous week.
The lighter feeder cattle saw steers sell for $197-$252/cwt on Oct. 5 compared to $183.50-$251 the week before. The heifers fetched $167-$205/cwt as opposed to $172.50-$204 on Sept. 28.
