News

Combined U.S./Canada livestock herd lower

The combined U.S. and Canadian livestock herds were smaller at the start of 2022 than at the start of 2021.

The joint report by the USDA and Statistics Canada shows a 2% decline in the combined cattle inventory to 103 million head, due to several factors, including higher feed costs and drought in parts of the U.S. Plains and Canadian Prairies. That included decreases of 2% in the U.S. and 1% in Canada.

The combined hog herd fell 3% to 88.3 million head, with a slight increase in the breeding herd canceled out by a reduction in the U.S. market inventory as producers tried to improve prices, along with lower pig crop and farrowing totals. The U.S. inventory was 4% lower and while the Canadian here was 1% higher, the U.S. industry is substantially larger than in Canada.

The U.S. and Canadian sheep and lamb inventory was down 1%, with a 2% reduction in the U.S. supply cancelling out a 4% gain in the Canadian herd.

The next set of combined livestock inventory numbers is out in August.