The Assiniboia Livestock Auction held its regular cull cow and bull sale on July 5 with 431 head sold. This is down from 587 sold at the previous sale on June 21. Heiferettes sold between $1.10 and $1.30 per lb. This is down between $0.10 to $0.15 per lb. from the last sale. D1 and D2 cows dropped to sell between $0.95 and $1.05 per lb. Notably, one cow in this category sold at $1.15 per lb., coming closer to prices at the last sale. And D3 cows remained stable ranging between $0.85 to $0.95 per lb. There were no canner cows sold. Slaughter bulls also held steady to sell in a range of $1.20 to $1.40 per lb. One bull reached $1.45 per lb.
A total of 21,577 head of cattle were sold in Saskatchewan over the last four weeks in June. This figure is up from 15,294 head sold the same four weeks in 2016, Saskatchewan Agriculture reported for July 5. Saskatchewan feeder steer prices were mixed but primarily higher for the 500 to 900 lb. weight categories that were reported last week ranging from $8.12 per cwt lower to $3.26 per cwt higher compared to the previous week. Feeder steer prices over the last four weeks since the week of June 2 have declined between $6.17 and $22.67 per cwt. The 500-600 lb. feeder steer weight category had the largest price decline. On average, Saskatchewan feeder steer prices declined by over $11 per cwt over the month of June.
Saskatchewan feeder heifer prices were reported in all weight categories over the week except the light weight 300-400 lb. weight category. Feeder heifer prices were lower in all the reported weight categories for the week ending June 30 with prices declining between $4.19 per cwt and $18.82 per cwt, with the largest price declines in the 400-500 lb. weight category. Since the week of June 2, feeder heifer prices have declined between $5.71 per cwt and $21.74 per cwt. Feeder heifer prices on average in June declined by over $15 per cwt with the largest price declines in the 400-500 lb. weight category.
Prices for liveweight, non-fed cattle in Alberta were lower last week. The price of D1 and D2 slaughter cows declined $2.66 per cwt to average $109.07 per cwt. The price of D3 slaughter cows declined $2.13 per cwt to average $95.50 per cwt from the previous week. Fed cattle prices for Alberta fed steers averaged $150.78 per cwt over the week, down $5.77 per cwt from $156.55 per cwt the previous week. Fed cattle prices over the last four weeks have declined by $17.13 per cwt since the week of June 2.
The USDA Cattle on Feed report for the June 1 inventory numbers reported that the number of cattle placed on feed in May 2017 was 2.119 million head. This number is up over 12 per cent from 1.889 million head in May 2016 and up 14.7 per cent from 1.848 million head placed in April 2017. The number of fed cattle marketed in May 2017 was 1.951 million head, up 8.75 per cent from 1.794 million head in May 2016, and up 14.6 per cent from 1.703 million head marketed in April 2017.
The May cattle placements were close to two per cent higher than the average trade estimates (110.4 per cent), while the cattle marketed in May were slightly higher than the average trade estimates (108.5 per cent). The cattle on feed for June 1 were estimated at 11.096 million head, 2.7 per cent above the May 2016 inventory numbers of 10.804 million head, and almost one per cent above the April 2017 numbers. The average trade estimates were estimating a 2.4 per cent increase (102.4) from June 2016 to June 2017, while a slightly higher 2.7 per cent increase was shown with USDA’s numbers.
Beef production for the week ending July 1 was estimated at 508.5 million lbs. This estimate was up 1.5 per cent from 501.0 million lbs. the previous week, and up 3.5 per cent from 491.5 million lbs. the same week a year ago. Cattle slaughtered over the week were estimated at 638,000 head, up 0.9 per cent from 632,000 head the previous week, and up 5.4 per cent from 606,000 head the same week a year ago.
U.S. choice beef cutout prices (600-900 lb.) averaged US$230.64 per cwt over the week. This figure was down US$14.26 per cwt or 5.8 per cent from US$244.90 per cwt the previous week, but up 10.4 per cent from US$208.88 per cwt the same week a year ago. U.S. choice beef cutout prices have declined US$20.22 per cwt or 8.1 per cent since the weekly average peaked at US$250.86 per cwt the week of June 17.
