This week held no big surprises in the beef markets.
While markets were lower last week, Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange surmised that would continue into this week and confirmed that it has. The dressed market in the U.S. is down and the wholesale market is under pressure as well; however, showing signs of stabilizing, Wasko says. The Alberta fed cattle market was also lower this week.
All of these things are expected for the end of February, Wasko explains in this episode of Beef Market Update with RealAgriculture’s Shaun Haney.
One of the key changes Wasko highlights is in carcass weights, which now show U.S. cattle outpacing Alberta’s. Typically, Alberta cattle are heavier than those in the U.S., but Wasko attributes this shift to several factors. Record prices, profitable cattle and the potential of looming tariffs are most likely all ensuring that cattle are sold on, or even ahead of schedule.
“We’ll see now as we head into March and tariff impact… how things roll from here. But we have seen a pile of cattle move… at record prices, so it hasn’t had any negative impact on pricing in terms of that feeder market,” says Wasko.
Wasko also discusses the results of the latest StatsCan Cattle Inventory Report, provincial differences, and what that report might mean for herd retention.
Watch the full episode below.
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