Cattle futures are supporting Saskatchewan feeder steer and feeder heifer prices, according to Emily Schmidt, Livestock Intern at the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. In addition to the futures market holding up prices, Schmidt says market demand is another factor, adding the turnaround in weather may help producers bring more cattle to auction.
Canfax released its Cattle Market Update for the week ending February 21. It showed the March and April feeder cattle futures were up compared to the previous week. The March feeder cattle futures was up $1.60 per cwt to close Friday at US$267.95 per cwt and the April feeder cattle futures was up $1.12 per cwt to close at US$267.55 per cwt on Friday.
Prices for most Saskatchewan feeder steers were available except the 300-400 and 900-plus pound categories and for most feeder heifers except the 300-400 hundred pound category. Prices ranged from $367.40 per cwt for the 800-900 pound steers to $567.61 per cwt for the 400-500 pound steers.On the heifer side, prices ranged from $333.12 per cwt in the 800-plus pound category to $496.86 per cwt in the 400-500 pound category.
The week-to-week changes in price were only available for the 700-800 pound steers and 800-900 pound steers – there was an increase of $2.96 for the former weight category and an increase of $3.32 for the latter weight category. The lone week-over-week change in price for heifers was in the 800-plus pound category which was down by $2.55.
There were 8,289 head of cattle marketed this past week, an improvement from the 5,438 head marketed the prior week. However, it’s below the 9,153 head that was sold the same week last year. The number of cattle sold so far this year is 19 per cent above 2024 with 69,244 feeder cattle marketed.
Prices for D2 and D3 slaughter cows in Alberta were up this past week. D2 cows were $196.86 per cwt, up $3.86 from the previous week’s price, while D3 cows were $181.89, up $3.97 from the prior week.
The price for Alberta fed steers for the week was $275.30 per cwt, up 52 cents from the previous week. A price for Alberta fed steers for the same week last year was unavailable.