The Assiniboia Livestock Auction held its regular cull cow and bull sale on June 21 with 587 head sold. Heiferettes sold between $1.20 per lb. to $1.45 per lb., dipping slightly from the previous sale. D1 and D2 cows held steady to sell between $1.05 to $1.20 per lb. And D3 cows remained stable ranging between $0.85 to $1.00 per lb. Canner cows sold between $0.30 to $0.60 per lb. Slaughter bulls dipped to sell in a range of $1.20 to $1.42 per lb.
A total of 5,546 head of cattle were sold in Saskatchewan for the week ending June 16, reported Saskatchewan Agriculture. Volumes fell from 7,108 head sold the previous week, and were down from 3,586 head the same week a year ago. Saskatchewan feeder steer prices were not reported in all the weight categories over the week. Feeder steer prices were mixed over the week with prices ranging from $8.50 per cwt lower to $1.62 per cwt higher. The 700-800 lb. feeder steer weight category had the largest price decline, while the 400-500 lb. weight category had the biggest price increase. On average, Saskatchewan feeder steer prices declined by almost $2 per cwt.
Saskatchewan feeder heifer prices were reported in all weight categories over the week except the light weight 300-400 lb. weight category. Feeder heifer prices were lower in all the reported weight categories with prices declining between $0.50 per cwt and $3.28 per cwt from the previous week. Prices on average for feeder heifers declined $2 per cwt over the week with the largest loss in the 500-600 lb. weight category.
The Saskatchewan 750 lb. feeder steer basis compared to the June 15 U.S. feeder cattle index at US$151.07 per cwt was calculated at (+$9.76) per cwt ($209.67 - US$151.07/0.7557, unchanged or steady from the basis of (+9.76) per cwt the previous week.
Feeder cattle daily futures prices were mixed over the week with losses early in the week with near contract limit declines on Wednesday to help push prices lower. The nearby August 2017 contract declined US$6.300 per cwt to settle Friday at US$147.875 per cwt, while the October contract declined US$6.450 per cwt to settle Friday at US$145.825 per cwt.
Live daily cattle futures prices were primarily lower over the week with big declines Wednesday to help push prices lower, week-over-week. The nearby June contract declined US$9.550 per cwt to settle Friday at US$121.700 per cwt, while the August contract declined US$5.675 per cwt to settle Friday at US$118.175 per cwt.
Prices for liveweight, non-fed cattle in Alberta were slightly lower over the week. The price of D1 and D2 slaughter cows declined $0.33 per cwt to average $111.30 per cwt, while the price of D3 slaughter cows declined $0.37 per cwt to average $98.13 per cwt. Fed cattle prices for Alberta fed steers averaged $160.79 per cwt over the week, down $9.95 per cwt from $170.74 per cwt the previous week. The live (FOB feedlot) weighted average 5-area (Texas/Oklahoma/New Mexico, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado and Iowa/Minnesota) weekly fed steer price in the U.S. was reported at US$130.12 per cwt, down US$5.95 per cwt or 4.4 per cent from US$136.07 per cwt the previous week, but up 7.9 per cent from US$120.59 per cwt the same week a year ago.
