Livestock statistics

Issues and trends for the agriculture and agri-food industries, including the Weekly Livestock Market Review.

Cattle

Statistics for cattle and calves on farms in Alberta

Table 1. January 1

r – Revised
p – Preliminary
Note: Data subject to revision
Sources: Statistics Canada, Alberta Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development
('000 Head) 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018r 2019r 2020p
Bulls, 1 year plus 90.0 89.2 88.4 90.4 90.5 92.0 92.3 91.8 88.8 81.2
Beef cows 1,607.4 1,595.8 1,595.9 1,574.0 1,538.0 1,534.8 1,554.8 1,510.3 1,523.6 1,464.2
Milk cows 81.0 80.9 80.8 80.7 77.4 77.9 78.6 79.1 78.3 79.9
Heifers: dairy replacement 38.4 38.7 38.6 38.7 38.5 39.5 38.3 38.7 38.4 39.4
Heifers: beef replacement 219.3 218.3 235.6 237.1 218.6 232.9 239.8 236.9 231.4 200.2
Heifers: slaughter 575.5 615.5 594.5 570.3 521.0 480.5 446.6 455.1 465.1 450.6
Steers, 1 year plus 662.6 710.5 694.8 733.2 711.5 695.0 660.4 702.7 649.1 589.3
Calves, under 1 year 1,580.8 1,636.1 1,711.4 1,705.6 1,669.5 1,677.4 1,619.2 1,615.4 1,550.3 1,600.2
Total 4,855.0 4,985.0 5,040.0 5,030.0 4,865.0 4,830.0 4,730.0 4,730.0 4,625.0 4,505.0
Total as % of Canada 39.9 40.8 41.2 41.7 41.8 41.6 41.0 40.9 40.4 40.2

Table 2. July 1

p – Preliminary
Note: Data subject to revision
Sources: Statistics Canada, Alberta Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development
('000 Head) 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019p
Bulls, 1 year plus 95.9 91.0 91.7 93.2 92.2 92.7 94.9 92.2 92.1 90.3
Beef cows 1,637.7 1,596.1 1,585.9 1,600.3 1,580.1 1,539.1 1,577.4 1,570.9 1,559.3 1,515.6
Milk cows 80.6 80.5 80.6 80.2 79.9 80.4 80.0 80.5 81.2 83.4
Heifers: dairy replacement 40.3 41.4 40.5 40.1 38.8 37.8 39.6 40.1 41.0 42.6
Heifers: beef replacement 254.6 275.4 272.0 286.3 262.1 263.1 289.8 296.3 281.3 262.2
Heifers: slaughter 739.6 753.7 726.4 721.6 666.6 605.6 574.8 543.3 554.0 509.0
Steers, 1 year plus 841.3 891.0 886.0 906.5 930.5 945.5 897.8 851.6 844.1 799.1
Calves, under 1 year 1,735.0 1,725.9 1,756.9 1,771.8 1,774.8 1,670.8 1,650.7 1,660.1 1,602.0 1,612.8
Total 5,425.0 5,455.0 5,440.0 5,500.0 5,425.0 5,235.0 5,205.0 5,135.0 5,055.0 4,915.0
Total as % of Canada 39.6 40.3 40.4 41.2 41.7 41.5 41.5 41.0 40.7 40.2

Pigs

Statistics for pigs on farms in Alberta

Table 3. January 1

r – Revised
p – Preliminary
Note: Data subject to revision
Sources: Statistics Canada, Alberta Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development
('000 Head) 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019r 2020p
Breeding stock 126.8 132.8 132.7 131.7 132.4 133.9
Sows and bred gilts 122.5 128.2 127.9 126.9 127.5 129.0
Boars, 6 months plus 4.3 4.6 4.8 4.8 4.9 4.9
All other pigs 1,263.2 1,317.2 1,357.3 1,393.3 1,382.6 1,391.1
Under 23 kg 480.6 509.5 518.0 515.8 524.3 530.1
23 to 53 kg 235.0 248.2 256.2 282.1 247.1 244.0
54 to 80 kg 279.5 284.9 293.4 287.5 294.7 289.6
Over 81 kg 268.1 274.6 289.7 307.9 316.5 327.4
Total 1,390.0 1,450.0 1,490.0 1,525.0 1,515.0 1,525.0
Total as % of Canada 10.5 10.6 10.7 10.8 10.9 11.0

Table 4. July 1

r – Revised
Note: Data subject to revision
Sources: Statistics Canada, Alberta Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development
('000 Head) 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019r
Breeding stock 125.9 127.5 127.5 130.9 133.5 134.2
Sows and bred gilts 121.6 123.1 122.6 126.1 128.6 129.4
Boars, 6 months plus 4.3 4.4 4.9 4.8 4.9 4.8
All other pigs 1,244.1 1,267.5 1,337.5 1,339.1 1,361.5 1,345.8
Under 23 kg 483.8 491.2 523.9 489.7 519.9 545.9
23 to 53 kg 227.4 217.9 247.4 266.4 268.8 229.8
54 to 80 kg 292.5 279.9 282.1 295.4 275.5 276.5
Over 81 kg 240.4 278.5 284.1 287.6 297.3 293.6
Total 1,370.0 1,395.0 1,465.0 1,470.0 1,495.0 1,480.0
Total as % of Canada 10.7 10.4 10.4 10.4 10.7 10.6

Sheep

Sheep and lambs on farms in Alberta

Table 5. January 1

p – Preliminary
Note: Data subject to revision
Sources: Statistics Canada, Alberta Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development
('000 Head) 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020p
Rams 5.3 4.5 4.8 4.4 4.8 4.9 4.9 4.8 4.7 4.7 4.6 4.6 4.7
Ewes 97.0 84.3 87.3 86.0 90.8 91.5 92.3 91.5 89.2 88.5 88.0 90.0 90.4
Replacement lambs 12.9 11.6 11.6 9.9 13.4 14.4 15.2 14.8 14.2 14.4 14.3 14.5 14.2
Market lambs 38.8 33.6 33.3 40.7 42.0 43.2 45.6 41.9 37.9 33.4 31.1 29.9 28.7
Total 154.0 134.0 137.0 141.0 151.0 154.0 158.0 153.0 146.0 141.0 138.0 139.0 138.0
Total as % of Canada 17.4 15.8 16.2 16.5 17.2 17.4 17.7 17.8 17.7 17.3 17.0 16.8 16.5

Table 6. July 1

Note: Data subject to revision
Sources: Statistics Canada, Alberta Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development
('000 Head) 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Rams 5.0 4.4 4.6 4.8 5.0 5.2 5.2 4.9 4.8 4.8 4.6 4.7 4.8
Ewes 93.4 91.1 88.9 89.9 92.6 91.6 91.4 90.2 89.4 90.1 89.8 90.4 91.3
Replacement lambs 16.1 12.1 12.8 14.2 15.1 14.9 15.3 14.2 16.0 17.0 17.3 17.0 18.5
Market lambs 94.5 85.4 82.7 86.1 90.3 89.3 92.1 90.7 86.8 83.1 82.3 82.9 75.4
Total 209.0 193.0 189.0 195.0 203.0 201.0 204.0 200.0 197.0 195.0 194.0 195.0 190.0
Total as % of Canada 18.8 17.7 17.1 17.7 17.8 17.8 18.3 18.6 18.7 18.5 18.5 18.4 18.3

Honey

Honey in Alberta

Table 7. Estimated production and value of honey in Alberta (2013 to 2017, 2017r and 2018p)

r – Revised
p – Preliminary
  Average (2014 to 2018) 2018r 2019p
Beekeepers – Number 1,301 1,572 1,474
Colonies – Number 303,356 311,000 303,500
Average yield per colony Pounds 128 124 83
Kilograms 58 56 37
Total production Pounds 38,854,200 38,564,000 25,067,000
Metric tonnes 17,624 17,493 11,370
Value of honey ($) 72,912,400 66,472,000 45,962,000

Honey in Canada

Table 8. Estimated production and value of honey in Canada** (2013 to 2017, 2017r and 2018p)

* Yield rounded to nearest whole number.
** Does not include Newfoundland and Labrador.
*** The estimated Canadian value excludes inventory sales except for in Quebec.
r – Revised
p – Preliminary
Source: Statistics Canada
  Average (2014 to 2018) 2018r 2019p
Beekeepers – Number 9,758 10,661 10,344
Colonies – Number 754,127 790,023 773,182
Average yield per colony Pounds 123 120 104
Kilograms 56 55 47
Total production Pounds 92,648,200 94,996,000 80,345,000
Metric tonnes 42,025 43,090 36,444
Value of honey ($)*** 195,980,800 200,816,000 173,036,000

Average retail prices

This reports show Alberta's average retail prices for selected products.

Livestock inventory estimates

Commentary on current issues and trends related to the Alberta/Canadian livestock industry.

Weekly Livestock Market Review

Weekly livestock prices and indicators for cattle, hogs and sheep.