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Canada’s cattle herd shrinking, hog herd expanding

Canada’s cattle herd could be the smallest in 28 years, but its pork sector is poised to set export records.

A report from Agrimoney.com says the USDA’s Ottawa bureau is forecasting a return to expansion in the Canadian cattle herd, but that it’s unlikely before 2019.  The bureau says Canada isn’t retaining sufficient numbers of heifers to fuel herd growth.  Another reason is because of aging producers who aren’t being succeeded by younger farmers.

On the other hand, in 2018, Canada’s pork output will grow by 40,000 metric tons to 2 million metric tons, setting a record for the fourth year in a row.

The bureau says part of the incentive driving pork production is the opening of US pork plants in Michigan and Iowa collectively adding 22,000 head of processing capacity per shift.  Both are within range of Canadian hog exports.