Ontario Cattle Market Recap: Week of May 29 — June 4, 2026

The market held steady this week with solid demand across fed cattle and stockers. Here's where the numbers landed.

Fed Steers & Heifers — Holding Strong

Fed Steers, Large Frame (over 1,250 lbs)

• Range: $332–$353/cwt
• Average: $345/cwt
• Top: $386.50/cwt
• Dollar math: A 1,656 lb steer at $345/cwt = $571.20 per animal

Fed Steers, Medium Frame (over 1,250 lbs)

• Range: $323–$350/cwt
• Average: $338.70/cwt
• Dollar math: A 1,613 lb steer at $338.70/cwt = $546.30 per animal

Fed Heifers, All Frames (over 1,000 lbs)

• Range: $323–$354/cwt
• Average: $339.54/cwt
• Dollar math: A 1,429 lb heifer at $339.54/cwt = $485.35 per animal

The gap between steers and heifers remains consistent — about $85–$90 per head advantage for steers, which is normal trade.

Dairy & Dairy Cross — Softer Pricing

Fed Steers, Dairy Cross (over 1,250 lbs)

• Average: $300.77/cwt
• Dollar math: A 1,732 lb dairy steer at $300.77/cwt = $521.34 per animal

Dairy cattle trading about $40/cwt below beef genetics — typical spread we see week to week.

Cows — Mixed Activity

All weights, combined

• Range: $185–$258/cwt
• Average: $219.31/cwt
• Dollar math: A 1,454 lb cow at $219.31/cwt = $318.65 per animal

Solid 1,377 head moved. Price spread was wide ($185–$258), which tells us the quality variance was significant — good culls at top, thinner cattle at the bottom.

Stocker Steers — Classic Inverse Scale

Larger stockers trading lighter per pound, as always:

• 900–999 lbs: Average $494.50/cwt = $470 per head
• 800–899 lbs: Average $531.83/cwt = $456 per head
• 700–799 lbs: Average $577.52/cwt = $431 per head
• 600–699 lbs: Average $617.85/cwt = $403 per head

The premium for lighter frame is real — small stockers are priced for gain. A 600–700 lb steer will cost you more per pound, but has more potential on feed.

Bottom Line

Fed cattle holding steady. Stocker demand remained active across all weights. Dairy cattle pricing softer than beef genetics, which is the normal baseline. Cow demand solid with volume to match.

Nothing spectacular this week — just steady Ontario cattle trade.

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Market data sourced from Beef Farmers of Ontario, week ending June 4, 2026. All prices in USD per hundredweight (cwt). Dollar figures calculated from reported averages and average weights.