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Industry Viewpoint<br />
By Bernie Peet<br />
Over the last few years, the Industry Crisis column has looked at what has been going on in the<br />
Canadian industry as our producers have battled a series of unprecedented challenges which has seen<br />
the industry reduce in size by nearly a quarter. <strong>WHJ</strong> Editor Bernie Peet continues to review industry<br />
events and trends that will shape the industry in future, both in North America and around the world.<br />
He will comment on industry developments and how they impact Canadian producers, providing his<br />
unique perspective and personal viewpoint on the important issues.<br />
14 | Western Hog Journal | Winter 2012<br />
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Cautious optimism<br />
but no expansion<br />
Despite the fact that 2011 was the best year<br />
for Canadian hog producers since 2006,<br />
there are few signs of any expansion in the<br />
national herd, with the October 1 census<br />
showing sow and gilt numbers almost<br />
identical to the same month in 2010 and<br />
total hog numbers up by just 1% to 12<br />
million. The September US Hogs and Pigs<br />
Report showed a similar picture, with both<br />
breeding pigs and total pig numbers up a<br />
mere 1% year on year. High feed prices and<br />
caution following four years of losses seems<br />
to have stifled any appetite for growth.<br />
Most of the increase in hog numbers<br />
was due to a 9.1% increase shown by<br />
Saskatchewan, from 770,000 to 840,000<br />
head. This was accompanied by an<br />
additional 5,000 sows, representing a<br />
5.3% increase and indicating that some<br />
empty barns have come back into use.<br />
Saskatchewan saw total pig numbers drop<br />
by 38.9% and sow numbers by nearly<br />
29% in the five years to October 2011.<br />
Mysteriously, BC also showed an increase<br />
of 10,000 pigs over the year, although sow<br />
numbers barely moved, up 1% to 9,300.<br />
“The total number of<br />
hog farms in Canada has<br />
reduced by 39.7% in the<br />
five year period”<br />
This goes against the five year trend,<br />
which has seen total numbers down by<br />
34% and sow numbers down by 48%. In<br />
Manitoba, although total numbers remained