Canfax Weekly Article | Report for the week of June 2, 2025

Alberta fed prices continues to march higher settings new highs. For the past couple of years, the markets have followed a very similar trend as prices have strengthened throughout spring. Dressed sales were reported at mostly $502/cwt delivered. Buying interest was noted from all Western Canadian packers. For the week ending May 24th, Western Canadian fed slaughter totaled just over 36,000 head, 4 per cent lower than last year. For the second half of year excluding 2020, due to covid slow down, this is the smallest slaughter since 2016.

Last week, Alberta auction volumes totaled 22,156 head, 41 per cent higher than a year ago and the largest weekly volumes for the same week since 2009. The feeder market rebounded and rallied this week across most weight classes, fuel by larger volumes. Canfax average feeder steers and heifers closed the week $8/cwt and $6/cwt stronger respectively. For week ending May 17th, Canadian feeder cattle exports to the U.S. were at 1,000 head, down 77 per cent from last year. This is the six consecutive weeks that weekly exports to the U.S. have run below last year. YTD exports since the first week of April has declined from up 92 per cent to being up only 15 per cent.

Last week, butcher cows traded $3-5/cwt higher through commercial auction facilities. D2 cows averaged $231/cwt, just shy of all-time high set only three weeks ago and D3 cows putting in new all time high at $210/cwt. Feeder cows averaged $242.50/cwt, around $7/cwt stronger than two weeks ago. Butcher bulls climbed $9/cwt from last week to $246.25/cwt. For the week ending May 24th, Western Canadian cow slaughter volumes were just shy of 3,500 head, YTD Western Canadian cow slaughter is down 11 per cent from both last year and the five-year average.

Bull

• Feeder market rebounded, driving prices back to record high levels
• Fed prices continue to march higher
• YTD Western Canadian cow slaughter is down 11 per cent from both last year and the five-year average

Bear

• U.S. steer carcass weights are 22 pounds heavier than last year and 46 pounds heavier than the five-year average
• Western Canada fed cattle shipments to the U.S. have slowed to a crawl
• For week ending May 24th, Western Canadian fed slaughter totaled just over 36,000 head. For the second half of may (excluding 2020 due to COVID-19), this is the smallest slaughter since 2016.