Fed steers and heifers sold through auction markets this week at 224 head, were down 38 head from the previousweek and 171 head smaller than the same time last year. Fed steers sold from $235.86-$250.38/cwt averaging $242.46/cwt, up $6.31/cwt from the previous week’s trade and $8.69/cwt above year ago prices. Fed heifers sold from $231.20-$245.65/cwt averaging $238.08/cwt, up $8.10/cwt from last week and $10.23/cwt higher than last year. Auction markets reported after the Thanksgiving holiday, fed steers and heifers sold actively at prices $3.00-$5.00 higher on Tuesday October 15th. Fed cows sold on a good demand $1.00-$2.00 higher.
In Ontario, dressed sales have been reported at $406/cwt delivered, fully steady with the previous week. Ontariofed steer prices have moved sideways for the last five weeks. Eastern Canadian processing is down 13% YTD with steers down 9% and heifers down 10%, cows down 25% and bulls down 38%. For the week ending October 12th, Eastern processing was 18% above year ago levels and 10.4% above the five-year average. For the week ending October 5th, Eastern fed cattle and cow exports to the US were 2,665 head, 4% above last year and 26% above the five-year average. YTD exports are up 31% from last year. Eastern Canadian cow processing continues to run below a year ago.
Cull cow receipts sold through auction markets this week were 1,636 head, up 16 head from last week but down 1,031 head from last year. Cows were selling from $124.31-$180.57/cwt averaging $147.71/cwt, up $4.23/cwt from last week and up $34.65/cwt from last year. Beef cow prices sold from $126.49-$183.11/cwt averaging$155.20/cwt, up $2.78/cwt from the previous week’s trade and $30.55/cwt above year ago prices. Auction markets reported cows sold actively with prices $5.00 higher on October 15th. Light receipts of cows sold actively at steady to higher prices
Slightly lighter receipts of 6,258 stockers and feeder cattle sold through Ontario auction markets this week up 2,053 head from the previous week but 2,946 head fewer than the same week last year. Auction markets reported last week that stockers continued to sell at strong prices. After the Thanksgiving holiday, all classes of stockers and feeder cattle sold fully steady. On October 16th, stockers sold aggressively at strong prices. Actual average prices collected this week saw steers from 400-500 lbs trading $16.12/cwt higher than last week on average, 500-600 lbs up $9.68/cwt, 600-700 lbs down $0.16/cwt, 700-800 lbs up $16.61/cwt, 800-900 lbs were up $8.30/cwt, steers 900-1000 lbs down $4.78/cwt and steers 1000 lbs plus averaged $0.62/cwt weaker than the previous week’s weighted average prices. Heifers from 300-400 lbs were up $15.52/cwt from last week on average, 400-500 lbs down $5.71/cwt, 500-600 lbs up $4.05/cwt, 600-700 lbs down $12.18/cwt, 700-800 lbs up $5.55/cwt, 800-900 lbs up $12.43/cwt and heifers 900 lbs and over averaged $24.18/cwt stronger than the previous week’s weighted average prices.
