Sharp Decline in Hog Numbers
CANADA - Statistics Canada says there were 1,115,000 hogs in Saskathchewan at the beginning of this month - that's a decline of almost 17 percent on the previous year as a sure sign the industry is declining fast.A report on Saskatchewan's Homepage, says the this trend is happening across Canada, not only on the prairies.
It is part of a downsizing across the country due to low prices, high feed costs and reduced slaughter capacity. The Canadian hog population has dropped 11.7 percent. This was the largest year-over-year drop in three decades.
The General Manager of Sask Pork anticipates more reductions this year. Neil Ketilson says 26 Saskatchewan hog producers have enrolled in the Federal Cull Breeding Swine Program. They have agreed to take 6500 sows out of production for the next three years.