North Central Livestock Exchange, which is the largest cattle auction market in Canada, ended the month of January with their bred cow sale, selling 1,000 plus bred cows and heifers.
Feeder cattle prices are at record high prices in Alberta. Top quality bred heifers weighing over 1100 pounds brought $4,000 to $4,750 and bred heifers under 1,100 pounds sold for $3,500 to $4,000. Young dispersal cows went between $4,000 to $4,750.
“This is the highest we have seen it,” said Levi Pedgarachny, manager of North Central Livestock Exchange, based near Clyde.
On Jan. 28, their sale saw 3,777 head of cattle sold. The feeder market was high and cull cows and bulls also traded higher.
The regular and presort sale on Feb. 4 only saw 250 cattle sold.
“This week was a double whammy with the cold weather and the tariff deal,” said Pedgarachny. “Next week we will have a few more numbers around and that should give us a better idea what will happen with the market.
“The numbers are getting lower now,” added Pedgarachny. “Lots of guys sold last fall and before year end so our numbers will be a little slimmer going forward."
The U.S. said it plans on imposing tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico. The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) and National Cattle Feeders' Association (NCFA) say they will continue to work with the federal government to remove any tariffs on live cattle and beef.
"The impact of this tariff on cattle producers will be felt immediately and severely," said Will Lowe, chair of the NCFA, in a prepared statement.
CCA president Nathan Phinney said that the Canadian beef industry is a strong advocate of free and open trade.
"We expect our trade agreements to be respected and honoured. International trade is advanced through negotiation and compromise, as was done with the revision of the NAFTA by President Trump himself."
A 25 per cent tariff was set to be implemented on Feb. 4 on all products imported into the U.S. but the U.S. has said it will pause tariffs for 30 days after speaking with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who promised to improve border security.
"The integration of the North American live cattle and beef supply chain is unlike anywhere in the world, contributing to both food security and local and regional foods systems," said Phinney. "The United States and Canada have the largest two-way trade in live cattle and beef in the world. American-born cattle are fed in Canadian feedlots before returning to the United States for processing. Tariffs would greatly increase the cost of processing cattle and ultimately the cost of beef on both sides of the border."
