Week of February 4 – February 8, 2008

This information is provided as a resource by Saskatchewan Agriculture staff.
All stated prices are averages.
Please use this information at your own risk.
All prices are quoted in Canadian dollars per hundredweight ($/cwt.) unless otherwise stated.

Feeder Cattle

Saskatchewan auction marts reported stronger trading this week, as the extremely cold conditions across the province subsided.  Sales were reported at 15,333 head, up from 8,132 head the week previous and up approximately 3,000 head from two weeks ago.  Saskatchewan feeder cattle prices were generally higher in both the steer and heifer market.  Light weight steers (300-400 lb.) and 400-500 lb. steers reported gains of $2 per cwt.  Steers 500-600 lb. and steers 700-800 lb. both experienced a price increase of $3 per cwt.  Steers 600-700 lb. and 800-900 lb. were up $2 per cwt.  Heavy steers (900+ lb.) reported a slightly higher price, trading $1 per cwt. higher.  Light weight heifers (300-400 lb.) were down $2 per cwt.  Heifers 400-500 lb. were unchanged for the week.  Heifers 500-600 lb. traded up $2 per cwt., while heifers 600-700 lb. were up $3 per cwt.  Heifers 700-800 lb. and heavy heifers (800+) traded $1 per cwt. higher.  The average cash price of feed barley in the par region (delivery within 100 miles of Saskatoon) was approximately $190 per tonne, trading up from last week's average of $187 per tonne.  The Lethbridge cash price was $210/tonne, down from $215 per tonne the previous week.  The Canadian dollar was relatively unchanged this week at US$0.9979 from US$0.9942.

Fed Cattle & Slaughter Cows

Western Canada's fed cattle market was slightly lower last week as Saskatchewan steers were down marginally, $0.50 per cwt.  Fed cattle exports to the United States were unchanged again this week, as 19,898 head moved south compared to 20,168 head the week previous.  D1,2 cows recorded an average price for slaughter cows of $35.46 per cwt., up from $33.61per cwt. the week previous.

For more information contact the Livestock Development Branch:
Craig Klemmer
Livestock Development Specialist
953-2772
cklemmer@agr.gov.sk.ca