(Image Credit: (file photo/farmnewsNOW Staff))

By Pattison Media

Canadian cattle and sheep inventories up while hog numbers decline

Mar 6, 2026 | 12:24 PM

The Canadian cattle herd rose on Jan. 1, the first year-over-year increase since 2018.  

The information comes from the Statistics Canada Livestock Estimates Report which shows in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba there were mixed results in cattle, hog and sheep inventories.  

Inventories rose in all categories of cattle and calves on account of increased international imports paired with reductions in slaughter and international exports. Canadian hog inventories were down following increases in international exports and slaughter in both eastern and western Canada. Canadian sheep inventories rose on Jan. 1, as slaughter decreased in the last half of 2025 relative to the same period one year earlier.  

Cattle

Canadian cattle producers held 11.1 million cattle and calves on their farms on Jan. 1, up 2.5 per cent from one year earlier.   

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Inventories rose year over year in all categories of cattle, notably beef heifers for breeding up 4.8 per cent and beef cows up 1.9 per cent, lending support to Canadian beef herds. Producers reported 3.6 million calves, which is a 4.3 per cent increase from the same date one year earlier, mainly due to a 42.7 per cent year-over-year increase in international imports of calves from July to December 2025.   

From July to December 2025, the slaughter of cattle and calves fell 6.5 per cent, while international exports dropped 8.9 per cent. Despite these decreases, feeder and slaughter cattle prices continued to climb to record highs over the second half of 2025, as global demand for beef remained high amid tight cattle supplies.  

Hogs

Canadian hog producers reported having 13.9 million hogs on their farms on Jan. 1, down 0.8 per cent. 

Producers reported 1.2 million sows and gilts, an increase of 0.4 per cent, while the number of boars was unchanged year over year, at 15,300 head. Meanwhile, the pig crop for the second half of 2025 rose to 15.2 million, a 3.0 per cent year-over-year increase, due to an increase in demand from the processing and international trade sectors.   

From July to December, international exports of live hogs were up 8.0 per cent.  

Sheep

Canadian inventories of sheep and lambs were up 3.0 per cent to 833,000 head. The sheep breeding herd rose 2.2 per cent year over year on Jan. 1 to 603,400 head, as inventories of ewes and replacement lambs both increased, while rams were stable. The number of market lambs was up 5.1 per cent to 229,600 head over the same period. 

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com