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Canadian Cattle Numbers Down but Rate of Decline Slows

The Canadian cattle herd continued to shrink in 2024, hitting its lowest in 37 years, although the rate of decline did slow. 

A Statistics Canada livestock inventory report on Tuesday pegged the total nationwide number of cattle on Canadian farms as of Jan. 1, 2025 at 10.94 million. That is down 0.7% from a year earlier and the lowest Jan. 1 total since 1988 at 10.75 million.  However, StatsCan noted the size of latest annual contraction in the national herd was less than in 2023 (-2.1%) and in 2022 (-2.2%), following some improvement in Prairie drought and feed availability over the past year.  

Jan. 1 cattle numbers in Canada peaked in 2005 at just under 15 million, mainly due to the first discovery of BSE in a Canadian-born cow in May 2003, which temporarily closed international markets to Canadian cattle and beef. The herd has mostly been in decline ever since, with more recent Prairie drought and tight feed supplies adding to the downward momentum. 

Canadian cattle producers retained less total breeding stock on Jan. 1, 2025 compared to a year earlier. The number of bulls was down 1.8% and beef cows was 1.8% lower. On the other hand, StatsCan said beef heifers for breeding rose 0.8%, “lending support to the beef cow herd.” 

Producers also held fewer steers (-1.8%), heifers (-0.5%) and calves (-0.2%) compared with Jan. 1, 2024. 

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Cattle Markets - Elliott Dennis

Video: Cattle Markets - Elliott Dennis

The UADA released the latest cattle on feed report, which indicated a 2% decline in the number of cattle and calves on feed for slaughter in feedlots with capacities of 1,000 or more head, totaling 11.4 million head as of May 1st compared to the same time last year. Joining us this week to break down the latest UADA report is UNL Livestock Economist Elliott Dennis. Here is our conversation from Wednesday afternoon.