Cattle Market update for Sask. shows mixed results

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Sask. Agriculture

The latest Cattle Market Update for the week ending December 10, 2021. Highlights for the week include the following:

• Feeder steer prices were mixed across the reported weight categories when compared to prices reported the previous week. Prices ranged from $243.80 per cwt for the 300-400lb weight category to $173.00 per cwt for the 900+lb weight category this week. The largest price increase was seen in the 900+lb weight category with a $2.75 per cwt price increase from the previous week to average $173.00 per cwt. The 300-400lb weight category saw the largest price decline with a large price decline of $13.00 per cwt to end the week averaging $243.80 per cwt.

• Average weekly prices for Saskatchewan’s feeder heifers were mostly down across the reported weight categories when compared to prices reported the previous week. Prices ranged from $189.70 per cwt for the 300-400lb weight category to $167.94 per cwt for the 800+lb weight category. The largest price increase was seen in the 800+lb weight category with a $4.84 per cwt increase from the previous week to average $167.94 per cwt. The largest price decline was seen in the 500-600lb weight category with a $0.88 per cwt decline to end the week averaging $175.50 per cwt.

• Nearby live cattle future contracts saw declines throughout the week. The December live cattle futures contract decreased US$0.825 per cwt relative to the previous week to settle Friday at US$136.850 per cwt. The January contract had a price decline of US$0.775 per cwt compared to the previous week to settle Friday at US$138.075 per cwt.

• Choice beef cutout prices (600-900 lb.) for the week averaged US$266.75 per cwt, down US$6.42 per cwt from US$273.17 per cwt than the previous week, a price decline of 2.4 per cent. The choice beef cutout value is 21 per cent higher than the same week a year ago when it was valued at $220.51.

A big thanks goes to Lexi Hicks-Macza for compiling the information. Please direct any questions you have to either Lexi or myself.

Lexi Hicks-Macza Livestock Development – Intern; Natasha Wilkie, BSA, PAg (she/her)

Government of Saskatchewan, A/Provincial Cattle Specialist