ONT Farm Market News PM Livestock Summary for February 3 Here is the Country Auction Report as collected by the Beef Farmers of Ontario Friday. * REPLACEMENT CATTLE: There were 700 head on offer at Brussels. Calves sold extremely strong. Yearlings sold fully steady to last week's high market. Large & Medium Steers over 900 lbs:$207.70 - $251.03 Large & Medium Steers 700-800 lbs:$270.00 - $280.00 Large & Medium Steers 500-600 lbs:$262.00 - $327.00 Large & Medium Heifers over 800 lbs:$215.92 - $235.17 Large & Medium Heifers 600-700 lbs:$207.00 - $246.00 Large & Medium Heifers 500-600 lbs:$241.00 - $267.50 From the Beef Farmers of Ontario, the Rail Grade Report. Prices are on carcass weight basis, before grade and weight discounts. Steers: $328.00 - $328.00 Heifers: $327.00 - $328.00 *From Ontario Pork: *Quebec's average price on Thursday was $174.6 per ckg D.W. 100 index. *The previous markets day's CME Constructed (201) price was $72.98 U.S. per cwt. D.W. *Compared to the previous day this was up $0.25 *Average weekly price /ckg DW total value $205.78 *Total volume of Ont. hogs sold was 118244 * From the Beef Farmers of Ontario, the weekly beef commentary: Comments for the week ending February 2, 2023: There were 356 fed steers and heifers sold through Ontario auction markets this week, up 27 head from the previous week and 145 more than the same time last year. Fed steers ranged from $179.69-$200.16, averaging $192.45, up $0.53 from the previous week and $20.52 stronger than year ago prices. Fed heifers ranged from $170.27-$191.39, with the bottom end of the range down $12.00 cwt from the previous week, with a weekly weighted average price of $182.17, down $10.14 from last week and $17.84 above year ago prices. Auction market reported active trading with prices fully steady to strong, with quality considered, and ended the week at prices $1.00-$2.00 cwt stronger. The Ontario railgrade market was light this week with prices holding fully steady to the previous week at $328.00 dressed for steers and $327.00- $328.00 for heifers. The cattle that sold this week were being scheduled for delivery anywhere from February 6th early in the week to February 13th by mid week. Last year at this time trade was in a sideways pattern from January 1st through to the middle of April at $290.00 cwt dressed. Fed cattle exports, including fed steers, heifers and cull cows, to the U.S. through Ontario ports are sitting at 7,287 head as of January 21, 2023 up 4.6% from the same time in 2022. Ontario federal processing volumes as of January 28, 2023 are at 47,662 head, up 0.2% from the same time last year, with steer volumes up 2.6%, heifers down 16.8% and cull cows up 7% in volume year-to-date. The fed/cull cow market saw a good strong week of trade. There were 2,577 cows sold through auction markets up 188 head from the week before and 177 more than the same week last year. Cows ranged from $83.69-$118.63 averaging $99.58 up $10.62 from last week and $25.12 higher than this time last year. Auction markets reported trade as active on a good strong demand, with higher prices, anywhere from $2.00-$7.00 higher with one report of dairy cows up to $15.00 cwt stronger. 270 beef cows sold this week down 110 head from last week averaging $101.99 cwt up $6.84 from the previous weeks weighted average beef cow price. The replacement cattle market was strong this week with a couple of special vaccinated sales included. 3,849 stocker and feeder cattle sold through auction markets this week up 1,392 from the week before and 1,228 more than the same week last year. Auction markets reported a strong active trade with prices on calves fully steady to higher and ended the week sharply stronger. Yearlings were noted as firm to higher, especially on the heifers. Actual average prices this week saw steers 400-500 lbs up $21.43 on average, 500-600 lbs up $17.95, 600-700 lbs up $9.87, 700-800 lbs up $12.03, 800-900 lbs up $0.36, 900-1000 lbs up $8.87 and steers 1000 lbs plus averaged $6.17 higher than last weeks prices on average. Heifers from 300-400 lbs were up $49.30, 400-500 lbs down $10.38, 500-600 lbs up $17.26, 600-700 lbs up $11.12, 700-800 lbs up $23.89, 800-900 lbs down $3.66 and heifers 900 lbs and over averaged $12.50 higher than last weeks weighted average prices. Steers are currently $41.00-$77.00 above year ago prices while heifers are $40.00-$54.00 stronger than this time last year. The Quebec electronic market this week was reported at $332.50 dressed on a picked-up basis up, $0.50 cwt from last week on average. Alberta direct trade was reported by Canfax as light this week with sales $1.00-$3.00 cwt higher on a dressed basis from $320.00-$321.00 delivered. Canfax reports: Most of the cattle that traded were being scheduled for mid- February delivery. Some cattle were being booked for early March delivery as well. US packer interest on the cash market has been quiet. Instead of buying cattle on the cash market there have been reports Alberta fed cattle are being committed or sold to the US packer on a formula price. Alberta fed prices did set new annual highs this week. It is very rare to see fed prices strengthen from January to February. The U.S. cash cattle trade the week January 27th did not get going until Thursday in the north and Friday in the south with some light trade also in the north on Friday. Business in the south last Friday afternoon saw prices from $155.00-$157.00 live, mainly $156.00 cwt up $1.00 from the previous week. Business in the north Thursday ranged from $245.00-$250.00 dressed, mainly $248.00 which is steady, and $153.00-$157.00 live for the week with the lower prices reported on muddy cattle. Overall average prices for the week reported by the USDA Mandatory Price report saw live steers average $155.25 down $0.07 while heifers averaged $155.49 up $0.28. On the rail steers averaged $247.72 down $0.50 with heifers averaging $247.37 down $0.96. This week the U.S. cash cattle trade remained at a standstill until Thursday afternoon where a few cattle sold in Nebraska at $248.00 dressed, steady to last week but not enough to establish a market. All other feeding states remain untested. On Tuesday the U.S. January 1st Cattle Inventory was released reporting a 3% decline in the cattle inventory overall from January 1, 2022. Sellers are holding for higher prices this week as a result, with asking prices in the south at $158.00-$160.00 live and $252.00 plus dressed in the north. At time of reporting Friday noon, bids in the north are surfacing at $248.00 dressed and $154.00 live but sellers are not showing any interest, while the south is quiet with no bids on the table. Packer interest is going to have to improve if they are going to get any cattle bought this week. Jamie Gamble - Beef Farmers of Ontarios market information report.