Marketing opportunities for Manitoba feeder cattle producers

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to review and compare feeder cattle price recording efforts of auction marts and governmental agencies. The paper also provides three methods to evaluate the relationship of feeder cattle prices within Manitoba and in comparison to Alberta, Ontario and the U.S. This analysis of arketing opportunities for feeder cattle could therefore determine optimal timing of production and provides an evaluation of spatial marketing alternatives. Price data from January 1994 to May 1998 were summarized from two sources. One source was actual sale sheets from rural Manitoba auction markets. The second data set, compiled from secondary sources, allowed an analysis of more distant markets. A three tiered analytical approach was undertaken for steers and heifers utilizing both sets of data. Seasonality, cointegration/spatial integration, and least significant difference testing were applied to price series. The reason for the three tiered approach was that each of the tests by themselves may not be strong enough to provide reliable results. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)