Saskatchewan's Cattle Specialist Natasha Wilkie says we're seeing more animals heading to market earlier this year as the drought is taking in toll on pastures and dugouts.

"We do see there's been a bit of a steady incline I guess of cattle coming in. So, this past week Canfax reported a total of 8,814 head of cattle sold in Saskatchewan. That's, you know, a little bit higher than the 5,087 head the previous week. When we look at 2020, it's quite a bit higher with 2,216 head marketed during 2020."

According to the report.......

Feeder steer prices ranged from $266.88 per cwt for the 300-400lb weight category to $177.80 per cwt for the 900+lb weight category this week. Week over week comparisons are limited due to prices being reported for the heavier weight categories only the previous week. Prices for the 800-900lb weight category increased $4.61 per cwt week-over-week, to end the week averaging $190.86. Prices for the 900+lb weight category declined $4.03 per cwt to end the week averaging $177.80 per cwt.

Average weekly prices for Saskatchewan’s feeder heifers ranged from $213.20 per cwt for the 300-400lb weight category to $171.40 per cwt for the 800+lb weight category. The only weight category able to calculate a week over week change was the 800+lb weight category, with prices improving $2.07 per cwt week-over-week.

The price of D2 slaughter cows declined $1.58 per cwt from the previous week for an average of $80.50 per cwt; while the price of D3 slaughter cows saw a price decrease of $1.36 per cwt from the previous week to average at $71.83 per hundred weight.

Saskatchewan's Weekly Cattle Market Report is available here.