Canfax cattle market report – June 4, 2026

This cattle market information is selected from the weekly report from Canfax, a division of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. More market information, analysis and statistics are available by becoming a Canfax subscriber by calling 403-275-5110 or at www.canfax.ca.

Fed prices soften

The western Canadian fed market saw a softer tone for the week ending May 22, after 19 straight weeks of rising prices.

However, prices remained noteworthy, with Alberta fed steers closing the week at $344.83 per hundredweight, $1.55 per cwt. lower than the previous week. Fed heifers eased $1.28 per cwt. lower to close the week at $342.79 per cwt.

In terms of supply, a good mix of fed calves and yearlings were marketed, with no price difference reported.

Dressed sales in Alberta and Saskatchewan were reported in the range of $575-$580 per cwt. delivered. Lift times varied by packer, and cattle that sold were scheduled to be delivered in one to six weeks.

All three western Canadian packers showed buying interest.

Read Also

Western Canadian packers have been running at reduced hours due to seasonally tighter cattle supplies. The same is true with packers in Eastern Canada, which have recently been operating only four days per week.

Although supplies are predicted to be tight for the short term, this is expected to change soon as more cattle hit the market.

The Alberta fed cash-to-futures basis was -2.99, making it the weakest basis seen in the second half of May since 2012.

In Ontario, light trade was reported for the week. Dressed sales were $565 per cwt. delivered, $13 per cwt. stronger than the previous week. Cattle that sold were set to be picked up the next week.

Light volumes of fed cattle from Eastern Canada sold to the United States at US$410 per cwt. delivered. Sales south of the border worked back to the low $340s per cwt. f.o.b. the feedlot, depending on freight and dressing percentage.

Cull cow market peak on the horizon

Non-fed prices in Western Canada were mixed during the week ending May 22.

Alberta D2 and D3 cow prices were around $0.75 per cwt. higher than the previous week.

Railgrade cow prices were steady with the week before, while feeder cows were down almost $9 per cwt.

Butcher bulls were the highlight, strengthening by $6.50 per cwt.

At time of writing, the Alberta cull cow market was expected to peak seasonally in the next three to four weeks.

The Alberta Agriculture crop report for May 12 stated that pasture growth conditions in the good-to-excellent category were above the five-year average for all regions except the Peace region. Regardless, some areas of the province were reported to be seriously lacking moisture, and the Victoria Day long weekend brought variable precipitation.

In Ontario, D2 and D3 cows rallied by $3-$6 per cwt. from the previous week.

Stronger tone to feeder market

The week ending May 22 saw a primarily stronger tone to the western Canadian feeder market.

Steers and heifers weighing between 500 and 900 pounds rallied by $3-$12 per cwt.

Prices for calves weighing 300-400 lb., however, dropped $22-27 per cwt., and steers and heifers weighing more than 900 lb. were $8 per cwt. and $2 per cwt. lower than the previous week, respectively.

Steers calves weighing 550 lb. were within $4 per cwt. of their record-high prices. Steers weighing 850 lb. were up $10 per cwt. from the previous week to set new a record high of $517 per cwt.

The nearby feeder cattle contract closed at $349.85 per cwt., falling $15.92 per cwt. from mid-week.

In Alberta, auction volumes for the week totalled 15,788 head. This was 15 per cent lower than the same time last year and 18 per cent below the five-year average.

Canadian feeder cattle exports to the U.S. for the week ending May 9 were 1,914 head.

Exports for the past five weeks totalled 13,546 head. While this was a significant increase from the 3,834 head exported over the same period in 2025, it was 24 per cent below the five-year average.

Cutouts mixed

U.S. cut-out prices saw little during the week ending May 22 when compared to the same week a year ago.

Choice cut-out values were one per cent lower than at this time in 2025, while Select values were two per cent higher.

Some U.S. analysts stated that packer margins were around $200-$300 per head in the red, with very little leverage.