Prices on the rise

Ken Johnston

Prices were not as good as they were prior to the BSE crisis, but they were too high for western buyers at the Stratton Calf Sale last Saturday.
Sales Manager Russell Richards said of the 1,460 head that were sold there, only one truckload went west. The rest went east.
“One buyer said that he bought 2/3 of the cattle at a Manitoba sale the day before, but here the prices were to high compared to there.” That is a complaint that local producers must have been happy to hear, even if they were not as high as pre-BSE times.
Richards himself was, “Quite pleased with what I got for my cattle.” His sold for anywhere from 80¢/lb. to $1.15/lb. Two years ago the prices were averaging about $1.35/lb. Last year they averaged about 85¢/lb.
Richards said prices broke down like this:
Good heavy heifers received as much as 72¢/lb.