Weekly Dairy Market Update – July 14, 2025
The Quebec dairy market showed moderate movement in cull cattle pricing and volumes during the week of July 14, 2025, with small price shifts across weight classes and regions. However, the dairy calf market continued a downward trajectory, with average prices declining across all major auction sites.
Cull Cow Market Overview – Quebec
Total Cull Volume (Bic auction excluded):
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Total Dairy Type: 441 head
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Total Beef Type: 35 head
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Overall Québec Average: 1.713 $/lb live (↓ 0.032 from previous week)
Key Observations:
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The average live price for dairy cull cows across Quebec edged up slightly by $0.011/lb, reaching $1.688/lbdespite mixed performance across weight classes.
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Prices were highest for lightweight dairy cows (<1100 lb), particularly at St-Hyacinthe, where they peaked at $3.120/lb.
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Beef-type cull cows >1500 lb at St-Isidore reached a high of $2.580/lb, marking a $0.231/lb increase – the largest positive shift of the week.
Regional Variations:
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St-Hyacinthe, Quebec’s primary auction centre, recorded a drop in average dairy prices to $1.750/lb (↓ $0.025).
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St-Isidore stood out with a modest increase in dairy-type average price (+$0.050/lb) and notable gains for heavyweight beef cows.
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La Guadeloupe saw sharp declines in all dairy weight classes, especially in the 1100–1500 lb range (↓ $0.389/lb), pulling the region’s average down by $0.150/lb.
Dairy Calf Market – Quebec
Total Volume Across Reported Markets: 2,127 head
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St-Hyacinthe: 948 head – Avg. $11.79/lb (↓ $0.25)
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La Guadeloupe: 199 head – Avg. $11.22/lb (↓ $0.68)
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St-Isidore: 791 head – Avg. $12.57/lb (↓ $0.36)
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Bic: 189 head – Avg. $12.48/lb (↓ $0.44)
Key Takeaways:
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Calf prices experienced declines across all major Quebec auctions, with La Guadeloupe seeing the steepest weekly drop.
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Despite price pressures, volume remained strong, especially at St-Hyacinthe and St-Isidore, which together accounted for more than 80% of total auctioned calves.
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There were no reported trades or prices for specific weight categories or types of dairy calves this week, limiting deeper analysis by breed or classification.
Reference Markets & Boneless Beef
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Ontario and U.S. reference markets for cull cattle and calves reported no transactions this week.
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Boneless beef prices (85% lean) remained unreported for both Canada and the U.S.
Market Outlook
While Quebec’s dairy cull market showed relative stability this week, volatility in regional pricing continues, especially in smaller centres like La Guadeloupe. A moderate firming in heavyweight beef cow prices may point to increased demand from processors, while declining calf prices may reflect seasonal shifts or broader demand softening.
Producers are advised to monitor weight-specific trends closely and assess marketing strategies as regional price disparities persist.
Data Source: Quebec Live Auction Reports, Week of July 14, 2025
