The Assiniboia Livestock Auction held its regular cull cow and bull sale on August 2 with 235 head sold. This number is down significantly from the 250 sold at the previous sale on July 21 and from the 431 sold on July 5.
At the early August sale heiferettes sold between $1.00 and $1.20 per lb. which is down $0.03 to $0.10 per lb. from the previous sale. D1 and D2 cows sold between $0.90 and $1.00 per lb. which is down from $0.97 to $1.17 per lb. from the previous sale and as well down from June and July prices. D3 cows sold between $0.80 to $0.90 per lb. which is up from the last sale’s price of $0.65 to $0.85 per lb. The August sale reached the stable selling prices seen in June. Canner cows sold at a steady $0.40 to $0.60 per lb. Slaughter bulls held steady between $1.15 and $1.25 per lb.
Saskatchewan feeder steer prices over the four weeks in July were lower compared to prices the week of June 30, 2017. Feeder steer prices in the reported 500 to 900 lb. weight categories over the four weeks have declined between $10.42 per cwt and $22.21 per cwt. On average, Saskatchewan feeder steer prices declined by over $17 per cwt over the month of July with the largest price decline in the 500-600 lb. feeder steer weight category. Feeder steer prices did rebound last week with the 600-700 lb. feeder steer weight category increasing $13.50 per cwt and the 800-900 lb. weight category increasing $5.69 per cwt from the previous week.
Saskatchewan feeder heifer prices over the last four weeks ending July 28 were lower in all the reported weight categories with prices declining between $13.04 per cwt and $26.62 per cwt. Feeder heifer prices for the month of July have declined on average by almost $18 per cwt with the largest price declines in the 500-600 lb. feeder heifer weight category.
The Saskatchewan 750 lb. feeder steer basis compared to the July 27, 2017, U.S. feeder cattle index at US$149.36 per cwt was calculated at (+$15.26) per cwt ($201.17 - US$149.36/0.8034, a basis widening of $2.68 per cwt from (+$17.94) per cwt the week of June 29, 2017.
Prices for liveweight, non-fed cattle in Alberta were steady to lower last week. The price of D1 and D2 slaughter cows declined $0.29 per cwt to average $102.00 per cwt, while the price of D3 slaughter cows declined $2.08 per cwt to average $89.50 per cwt from the previous week. Prices over the last four weeks in July were overall lower as the price of D1 and D2 slaughter cows declined $7.07 per cwt and the price of D3 slaughter cows declined $6.00 per cwt since June 30, 2017.
