12/18/07 Limited movement of older Canadian cattle here

Washington Ag December 18, 2007 It has been nearly a month since the U.S. border re-opened to the import of Canadian cattle over 30 months of age under the USDA's Minimal Risk Rule II. Shannon Neibergs of Washington State University's School of Economics has checked on what's been happening with older animal movement. Neibergs: "The reports are that not too many over 30 month cattle have come down into the U.S. market. There are some reports, informal reports, that are saying there are some dairy cows moving up into the Canadian market. You look at the strength of the Canadian Dollar that is going to limit the over 30 month cows coming in as slaughter cattle. Hopefully for the cattlemen here in Washington we don't see a large increase of over 30 month cattle coming into the slaughter market down here. But, initially that has not been the case over the first few weeks." Neibergs says Canadian feeder cattle are coming to the U.S. because the price of barley in Canada is such it's no longer profitable to feed out animals there. But Neibergs says there is no data to show if feeders coming into Washington stay here or pass through to another state. I'm Bob Hoff.