Canadian Hog Inventories Rise Despite Challenges

Increased Hog Counts Offset by Drops in Pig Crop and Slaughter

Canadian hog farmers faced a mix of challenges and opportunities, according to Statistics Canada as of July 1, 2024, overall hog inventories reported a rise despite several adversities.  

Notably, hog producers across Canada reported a total of 14.0 million hogs, marking a 1.3% increase from the previous year. This growth occurred even amidst declining numbers in key categories such as pig crops and processing. 

The primary regions for this livestock—Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba—which together house over 80% of the nation's hogs, all recorded year-over-year increases in their hog populations.  

However, the total number of sows and gilts decreased slightly by 0.8% to 1.2 million, and the number of boars saw a more significant reduction of 3.1%, settling at 15,700 head. 

A significant factor contributing to the decrease in pig crop, which fell to 14.9 million from January to June, was Quebec’s herd reduction program, aimed at managing local livestock numbers.  

This 1.1% drop compared to the same period in the previous year reflects broader challenges within the sector. 

Adding to the complexity, total hog slaughter across Canada from January to June decreased by 3.6% to 10.7 million head.  

This decline in domestic processing was somewhat balanced by a surge in international exports of live hogs, which increased by 4.2% to 3.5 million head.  

This rise in exports was primarily driven by producers in Eastern Canada looking to mitigate the impacts of reduced local slaughtering capacities. 

Despite these mixed dynamics, the Canadian hog industry remains resilient, adapting to both internal shifts and global market demands.