After a jump in placements of young cattle into Canadian feedlots in March and April, the number of cattle on feed there made a uncharacteristic jumps in April and May, according to data from CanFax.
CanFax is a division of the Canadian Cattle Association, provides market analysis and trends in the North American beef markets. It surveys members in Alberta and Saskatchewan monthly for production data, which it compiles and shares with its members. CanFax also shares the on-feed and placement numbers with the Livestock Marketing Information Center in Denver, which compiles them and publishes the results on it web page.
ON-FEED NUMBER RISING UNSEASONABLY
Cattle on feed numbers in Canada on May 1 were larger than either May 1, 2025, or the 2020-2024 average and rising rather than descending seasonally. Given the strong seasonal influences on the Canadian feeding pattern, a jump in the total stands out.
On May 1, there were 1.059 million head of cattle bellying up to Canadian feed bunks, up 124,247, or 13.3%, from 934,753 a year earlier and up 53,000, or 5.27%, from the previous five-year average of 1.006 million head.
The May 1 US Cattle on Feed report from the USDA is scheduled for release Friday. But cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the US for feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.6 million head on April 1. The inventory was 1% fewer than April 1, 2025.
The April 1 US inventory included 7.26 million steers and steer calves, down slightly from the previous year. This group accounted for 63% of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.32 million head, down 1% from 2025.
Typically, the number of cattle and calves on feed in Canada declines through August from the Jan. 1 starting number. It then rises rapidly into the Dec. 1 annual high.
PLACEMENTS UNUSUALLY LARGE
Monthly feedlot placements in Canada have been larger than a year earlier and the previous five-year average since February, but they jumped in March and remained above average in April. The direction of the moves follows seasonal norms, but the numbers were much higher.
Canadian feedlots placed 146,064 head of feeder cattle into their feed yards in April, up from 106,890 a year earlier and up from the 2020-2024 average of 117,716 head. However, they were down from the March seasonal peak of 179,563 head.
Placements in US feedlots during March totaled 1.71 million head, 7% fewer than in 2025, the USDA said. Placements were the second lowest for March since the series began in 1996.
Typically, Canadian feedlot placements will decline through July and begin a sharp rise in August, peaking in October and falling away again in November and December.
CATTLE, BEEF RECAP
The USDA reported formula and contract base prices for live FOB steers and heifers this week ranged from $262.28 per cwt to $262.79, compared with last week’s range of $251.82 to $260.00 per cwt. FOB dressed steers and heifers went for $406.95 per cwt to $408.75, compared with $400.43 to $409.84.
The USDA choice cutout Monday was up $2.89 per cwt at $392.14 while select was up $0.98 at $390.23. The choice/select spread widened to $1.91, from $0.00 with 58 loads of fabricated product and 26 loads of trimmings and grinds sold into the spot market.
The USDA-listed the weighted average wholesale price for fresh 90% lean beef as $469.49 per cwt, and 50% beef was $190.77.
The USDA said basis bids for corn from feeders in the Southern Plains were up $0.02 to down $0.05at $1.12 to $1.20 a bushel over the Jul corn contract, which settled at $4.77 a bushel, up $0.21 1/4.
The CME Feeder Cattle Index for the seven days ended Friday was $367.63 per cwt, down $2.46. This compares with Monday’s May contract settlement of $368.80, up $0.12.