A holiday week cut the number of cattle sold last week in Ontario in all categories.
Fed cattle sales were down 39 head from the previous week and 181 fewer than a year ago.
Fed steer prices were up 2.61 on the week but still 8.31 lower than a year ago.
Fed heifer prices were 28 cents lower on the week and 4.55 lower than in the same week in 2014.
Beef Farmers of Ontario reports the number of cull cows down 167 head on the week and 608 head on the year.
Prices were down 47 cents on the week, 13.84 on the year.
And replacement cattle numbers sold last week were down about 24 hundred on the week and almost 32 hundred fewer than last year at this time.
BFO says auction markets reported active trading of replacements, with sales from 3 to 5 dollars higher.
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Weekly Cattle Comments - As Supplied by Beef Farmers of Ontario Toll free: 1-866-370-2333 or Local: (519) 824-0334 Fax: (519) 824-9161 Email: markets@ontariobeef.com
Comments for the week ending October 15, 2015 Due to the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, receipts in all categories were lighter this week. There were 340 fed steers and heifers sold through auction markets down 39 head from last week and 181 less than last year at this time. Fed steers traded from $147.32-$163.71 live, averaging $157.98 up $2.61 from last week and $8.31 lower than last year at this time. Heifers sold from $147.81-$161.61 averaging $154.77 down $0.28 from last week and $4.55 lower than year ago prices. Lighter supplies with more second cut cattle on offer has pressured the average prices lower this week. Auction markets reported trade this week as active with higher prices, up anywhere from $1.00-$5.00 stronger. Second cut cattle were reported as just steady.
Ontario railgrade prices held steady the previous Friday until Tuesday with prices reported from $255.00-$257.00 dressed for steers and $254.00-$256.00 for heifers. But, by Wednesday improvement was noted with sales now coming in at $258.00-$265.00 dressed for steers and $257.00-$264.00 for heifers. This week's average price is up just $1.00 from last week (as the higher prices were only noted for one reporting day) and $16.00 lower than last year at this time.
Canadian Boxed Beef Prices (released by Canfax/AAFC) reported the CDN AAA boxed beef average price for the week ending September 25, 2015 at $2.8335/lb, down $0.09 from the previous week, and down $0.37 from the peak price this year of $3.0267/lb the week ending April 17th. Last year at this time the CDN AAA price was $2.6330 which is $0.20 lower than the current price. The USDA Choice boxed beef average price for the week ending September 25th was $2.9119/lb (converted to CDN $), which is $0.09 higher than the CDN AAA weekly average price. The CDN AA boxed beef average price for the week ending September 25, 2015 was $2.7258/lb down $0.13 from the previous week but $0.22 stronger than last year at this time. The CDN AA weekly average price the week ending September 25th is $0.13 lower than the USDA Select price converted to CDN dollars. The CDN AA average price peaked the week ending April 3, 2015 at $3.1454 which is $0.42 stronger than September 25, 2015.
There were 2,195 cull cows sold through auction markets this week down 167 head from last week and 608 less than last year at this time. Cull cows sold from $77.33-$105.55 averaging $91.07 down $0.47 from last week and $13.84 lower than last year at this time. Auction markets reported trade early in this session as steady to higher. As the week progressed prices were steady to under pressure. By week's end the market was steady to last week's lower market.
There were 7,195 replacement cattle on offer this week at Ontario auction markets, down 2,419 head from the previous week, and 3,179 less than the same week last year. Out of that 7,195 head, 5,212 were steers of which 2,324 were steers over 900 lbs. Auction markets reported active trading on a stronger market for heavier cattle with sales anywhere from $3.00-$5.00 higher than last week. Lighter weights were also active with prices reported anywhere from under slight pressure to $3.00-$5.00 higher with one report of regaining one half of the previous week's decline of $20.00 cwt. By Thursday prices were reported as higher with good quality calves up $5.00-$15.00 cwt. Actual average prices this week for steers 400-500 lbs were down $10.69 from last week, 500-600 lbs up $13.36, 600-700 lbs up $17.25, 700-800 lbs up $8.76, 800-900 lbs up $2.64, 900-1000 lbs up $4.41 and steers over 1000 lbs averaged $7.64 stronger than last week. Heifers 300-400 lbs were $11.28 lower than last week on average, 400-500 lbs up $13.88, 500-600 lbs up $8.24, 600-700 lbs up $9.23, 700-800 lbs down $1.16, 800-900 lbs down $6.14 and heifers over 900 lbs averaged $2.59 higher than last week. The Quebec Electronic Market for this week was reported from $259.00-$263.00 dressed, up $4.11 from last week on average.
Alberta direct trade this week was extremely light with dressed deals reported for steers from $262.00-$288.50. Canfax reports: "Cattle that are being bid on this week are being scheduled for middle of November delivery. Local packer interest in the cash market remains mixed while inquiries are virtually non-existent." The last reported trade for Alberta was the week ending October 3rd with sales from $267.00-$273.50 dressed.
The US cash cattle trade the week ending October 8th was stronger for the first time in many weeks with live sales averaging $7.64 higher for steers, and $5.89 higher for heifers. Dressed sales averaged $8.50 higher. The USDA Mandatory Price Report lists live sales from $120.00-$127.00 with steers averaging $125.35 up from $117.71 the previous week while heifers averaged $125.70 up from $119.81. On the rail sales ranged from $190.00-$202.00 dressed with steers averaging $195.92 up from $187.48 the previous week, with heifers averaging $196.48 up from $187.97. At time of reporting, Friday noon, the US market remains untested. Bids in the south have been at $125.00 live for most of the week, with no sellers showing any interest and today is no different. The north however, it seeing bids anywhere from $202.00-$205.00 dressed which is considerably stronger than last week's weighted average price. Asking prices are sitting at $135.00 live in the south and $208.00-$210.00 dressed in the north. Active trade is expected to develop at any time.
Jamie Gamble, Market Information Coordinator, Beef Farmers of Ontario.
