Exports of Canadian cattle fell by nearly a quarter in the first half of the year, says provincial livestock market analyst Jason Wood.
“Year-to-date, Canadian cattle exports in 2021 are the lowest in about 15 years,” he said.
The relative size of the American and Canadian herds is a key factor. The U.S. herd has expanded since 2014 (adding more than 2.6 million head) while the Canadian beef herd has declined by 297,000 head. Last year, live Canadian cattle exports fell by nearly 670,000 head (or seven per cent) and are down 46 per cent since 2014.
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The other factor is processing demand. Aside from disruptions caused by COVID-19, slaughter plants in Western Canada are running at near full capacity.
