With more snow falling onto parts of Manitoba mixed in with gusting winds, fewer cattle made it out to auction sites for the week ended Feb. 17.
At least 9,081 cattle went through the rings during the week (numbers from Brandon were unavailable at press time), down as much as 32 per cent from the 13,346 reported Feb. 4-10. Snowstorms and extremely cold temperatures wreaked havoc on roads and vehicles, which forced many cattle producers to stay home.
“Visibility was extremely poor on (Feb. 13) when we were taking deliveries,” said Allan Munroe, general manager of Killarney Auction Mart, whose weekly sale was held Feb. 14.
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Munroe believes there will be higher numbers, however, before a drop-off in late March. “We’re going to have a big sale next week,” he added.
Prices for feeder cattle were mixed during the week, although some sales saw wider price ranges for steers and others had narrower price ranges from heifers. Nevertheless, most butcher cattle prices increased compared to the previous week.
“Most prices are staying fairly steady. We’re seeing some optimism on the butcher cows and the bulls, which was long overdue,” Munroe said. “Some prices were higher; some were lower. There were no big moves that we’ve noticed.”
On the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), April live cattle closed at US$146.775 per hundredweight on Feb. 17, trading at US$146-$148/cwt during the week. As for the March feeder cattle contract, it closed at US$166.20/cwt on the same day, but traded as high as US$169.375 mid-week. The Canadian dollar closed at 78.77 U.S. cents, only 0.08 U.S. cent lower than on Feb. 10.
Munroe said there were some cattle going to Eastern Canada with others going south into the U.S. Blockades set up in protest of COVID-19 restrictions at Canada-U.S. border crossings at Emerson, Man., Coutts, Alta. and Windsor, Ont. greatly interfered with the transport of goods over the past three weeks.
Munroe said cattle going to and from the Killarney auction site usually cross the border south of Boissevain, which was not blocked and it was his understanding trucks containing livestock were allowed to move through the Emerson blockade without incident.
However, he added, it is quickly becoming much harder to transport cattle.
“Fuel prices are getting higher and (trucking companies) are having the same struggles trying to find new equipment. The prices have gone up significantly for trailers and they can’t get new trucks and new drivers. It makes it an ongoing challenge for trucking,” Munroe added.
“(But) they seem to keep getting the cattle moved. It has not affected our (site) but it is certainly affecting the cattle business.”
Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) held its 43rd annual general meeting virtually on Feb. 10. Newly minted Agriculture Minister Derek Johnson and federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau provided greetings while topics including cattle markets, business risk management programs, feedlots and mental health were discussed.
MBP members approved an amendment allowing one additional term extension for a director, as well as district realignments due to municipal amalgamations.
The 2022-23 executive consists of Tyler Fulton, president; Melissa Atchison, vice-president; Matthew Atkinson, second vice-president; Mark Good, treasurer; and Mike Duguid, secretary.
A video recording of the AGM can be seen at the Manitoba Beef Producers YouTube channel.
