Livestock estimates, January 1, 2017

Released: 2017-03-03

Cattle and hog inventories were up on January 1, 2017, compared with the previous year. However, year-over-year sheep inventories were down for the fourth consecutive year.

Cattle

Canadian farmers had 12.1 million cattle on their farms on January 1, up 0.2% from January 1, 2016. However, the inventory remained 19.2% below the peak levels of January 2005.

The number of beef heifers held for breeding on Canadian farms was down 1.8% year over year to 536,600 head. The inventory of calves on January 1 increased 0.4% to 4 million. The number of feeder heifers (+1.3%) also rose, while steer inventories were 0.9% higher compared with January 1, 2016. Canadian farmers had 1.4 million dairy cows and heifers on their farms, down 0.4% from January 1, 2016.

Total disposition of cattle and calves rose 0.3% in 2016 compared with 2015, driven by higher slaughter levels. Total slaughter numbers increased 5.3% from 2015 to 3.1 million head in 2016. However, international exports decreased 6.9% to 765,200, as a result of lower exports of calves. Demand for Canadian cattle may have been dampened by growth in the US cattle herd. The United States Department of Agriculture reported that the American cattle inventory grew 2% in 2016.

Canadian cattle prices continued to decline in 2016 from the peak levels seen in 2015. However, prices remained above the previous five-year average.

In celebration of the country's 150th birthday, Statistics Canada is presenting snapshots from our rich statistical history.

On January 1, 1940, the inventory of cattle and calves in Canada was 7.7 million head. On January 1, 2017, the total inventory sat at 12.1 million head.

The January 1 cattle inventory peaked in 2005 at 14.9 million. The January 1 inventory also rose above the 14 million head level in the mid-1970's, hitting 14.3 million in 1975.

In 1940, dairy cows represented 45.7% of the Canadian cattle herd, while beef cows accounted for 6.5%. These shares have almost reversed over time. Beef cows now make up 31.8% of total cattle, while dairy cows account for 7.9%.

Hogs

Hog producers reported 13.7 million hogs on January 1, up 1.6% from January 1, 2016, marking the fourth consecutive year-over-year increase. The hog inventory was 8.8% above January 1, 2013.

As of January 1, there were 7,220 hog farms in Canada, up 0.8% from the same date a year earlier. These farms reported 1.2 million sows and gilts, up 1.2% from January 1, 2016.

Canada exported 5.7 million hogs in 2016, down 1.8% from 2015 and down 43% from the 2007 export peak. In 2016, domestic hog slaughter increased 0.3% from 2015 to 21.4 million head.

The July-to-December 2016 pig crop was 14.3 million, down 2.3% from the same period in 2015.

Sheep

The number of sheep fell 1.4% to 814,600 head as farmers reduced herds. The sheep breeding herd decreased as the number of ewes declined 2.1% and replacement lambs were down 2.4%. The number of market lambs increased 1.0% from January 1, 2016.

Contact information

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