Last week was good for the Saskatchewan feeder steer and heifer market.
Canfax released the Cattle Market Update for the week ending October 11th, showing prices were available for all weight categories.
Prices for the steers ranged from $315.00 per hundred weight in the 900-plus pound category up to $518.88 in the 3-4 hundred pound category. For the heifers, prices ranged from $307.50 in the 800-plus pound category up to $429.80 per hundred weight in the 3-4 hundred pound category.
Only the 5-6 and 900-plus pound steers reported a week-over-week decrease. All the heifer weight categories had increases, with the largest in the 5-6 hundred pound category by $14.49 to an average price of $367.16. The biggest increase for the steers was $29.41 for the 6-7 hundred pound category to average $389.75.
Canfax reported 20,377 head of cattle went to market last week, above the 14,570 head marketed the previous week but slightly less than what was marketed at the same time last year.
Prices for live, non-fed cattle in Alberta last week were lower compared to the prior week. D2 slaughter cows averaged $176.98 per hundred weight, down by $2.62 from the previous week. D3 slaughter cows averaged $164.19, a $3.25 decrease from the previous week.
The Canfax price for Alberta fed steers for the week ending October 11 was $241.74, down 82 cents from the previous week.
Looking at futures prices, the October and November feeder cattle futures were a bit higher. October feeder cattle futures were up 12 cents to close Friday at $249.75 per hundred weight; November feeder cattle futures were up 52 cents to settle Friday at $249.80.
The upward trend was the same for October and December live cattle futures. The October contract was up $1.60 to close Friday at $188.60 and the December contract was up 57 cents to settle Friday at $187.57.
