Finishing feedlots are still aggressively bidding on quality replacements even as larger supplies of background cattle usually come on the market at this time of year.

One analyst says feedlot operations who were holding out for a price correction finally threw in the towel last week.

Canfax reports Saskatchewan feeder cattle volumes were 12,255 head —only 300 head below the previous week level.

There were price improvements in every feeder steer and heifer weight category. 300-400 pound steers were up $5.33 to average $354.83 per hundredweight . . . 500-600 pound steers rose $7.55 to average $332.25 . . . . 7-8 weight steers had a provincial average bid of $279.90 per hundredweight—up $8.52 . . . while 900 pound and over steers saw the smallest price increase of $1.80 to $237.80 per hundredweight.

On the heifer side, Canfax reports the average price for 3-4 weight feeder heifers was $314.63—an increase of $13.75 per hundredweight. 500 to 600 pound feeder heifers moved $7.25 to average $284.88 per hundredweight while 7-8 heifers went to $242.13 an increase of $6.63.

(with files from cjww)