Kristen112211/The beef cattle industry in Canada
# Kristen112211/The beef cattle industry in Canada

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1.3 billion cattle are consumed worldwide yearly. The cattle industry is a

significant component of Canadian agriculture, contributing over $20 billion to the gross

domestic product annually to the Canadian economy. The cattle

industry has dramatically changed over the centuries. Innovations in selective breeding,

genetics and structured nutrients have allowed advancements in production. Current production

in Canada consists of three main stages: 1 cow-calf production/breeding, stock operations and

finishing operations.

A brief introduction to the cattle industry in Canada

Cattle were thought to be first brought to Canada in the east of Nova Scotia during 1518 in an

attempt to establish agriculture settlement. Towards the 18th century, cattle were a part of the fur

trade. The production of beef cattle gradually increased after 1840. Capital buildup and

agricultural modernization made preparing and sustaining high-quality feeding

ratios possible even during cold winters. This, along with emerging live cattle exports to the

United Kingdoms, expanded the cattle industry in Canada by 1874

Cattle production in Canada today

Across Canada production

According to the 2016 Census of Agriculture, most beef cattle production occurred in Alberta

and Saskatchewan. Alberta has the highest average revenue out of all provinces making 3

billion dollars of gross domestic product globally.

Cow-Calf Production

Cow-calf operators in Canada involve the selective breeding of cows. Maternal characteristics

are selectively chosen to produce the healthiest, highest quality meat in both pure and cross

breading. Selected heifers (female cows) are exposed to bulls (male cows) when in heat to

simulate the breading process. Once successful insemination

occurs, the calves are typically born between mid-March and May.

Current trends cow-cow production in Canada

In recent years, cow-calf production has been adversely influenced by bovine spongiform

encephalopathy, droughts, and rising land prices. This has shaped the industry towards

consolidation resulting in larger herds in few farms. Fewer breeding cows lead to lower calf

yields, meaning fewer cows are available for the feed and packaging industries.

Stocker Operations

Stocker operations include a variety of strategies applied to calves for optimal growth.

This typically includes supplementation of proteins and other energy sources

targeted to enhance daily gain, reducing forage mass to increase stocking rate

Finishing operations

Finishing operations are the most intensive part of the Canadian beef production system.

Finishing operations are the final stage of cattle production, where cattle reach market weight.

Most finishing operations in Canada occur in specialized feedlots that can accommodate

thousands of animals .Cattle spend on average 200-90 days at

feedlots. They are fed on a specialized diet for optimal weight gain before being sold and

processed into beef.

Farm economics in Canada

Canada produces 2% of the worlds beef supply, it is the fifth-largest beef exporter and second-

largest grain feed exporter in the world. According to 2021 census data, there were 60,697 farms

containing beef cattle. Canadian cattle contributed $23.2 billion in gross domestic product in

2021. This resulted in 11.7 billion dollars in labour income and the creation of 25,434 jobs.

Employment

In 2021, only 11.0% of Canadian ranches employed salaried workers. Of the 25,434 reported

paid employees, 35.8% were family members. In contrast, non-farm employment among beef

cattle farmers who received wages from work unrelated to farm operations increased by 50.9%

in 2020 gross domestic net gain and related expenses. In 2021 the expense-to-receipt ratio was

0.90, meaning of the 23.2 billion dollars of gross domestic product there was around 20.9 billion

in operating-related costs. Expenses include land, livestock, food and capital for equipment used

in the production and processing of cattle.

Current innovations in the cattle industry

Livestock production globally has considerably increased since the 1500s, especially beef

production has more than doubled. Strategies to improve efficiency in

beef cattle focus on farm and breeding management, host genetics, and diet structure and

composition. These strategies not only require beef cattle to thrive in a changing environment but

must also consider the health and immunity of the herd.

Innovation in breading management

Low residual feed intake (RFI) selection

Residual feed intake is the difference between an animals expected food intake and its actual

intake based on size and growth. Selective breeding of low RFI cattle attempts to achieve the

same quality of product but while using less feed/ resources. Recent studies have shown that

selective breeding of low RFI cattle has decreased methane emissions from production and

improved feed efficiency conversion with no effect on cattle growth, weight, pregnancy, or

weaning rate. This has great significance to the cattle industry as this could reduce overall

agriculture impacts on the environment. These methods could also

potentially reduce land use and feed production.

Innovation in host genetics

Since introducing selective farming, we have greatly increased cattle production worldwide.

Unfortunately, centuries of selective breeding practices have led to the erosion of genetic

variability. The development of next-generation DNA sequencing technologies will enable

genome-wide resequencing, allowing us to assess better the genetic diversity and conservation

value of different breeds. This will allow the current cattle population's DNA sequences to be

compared to wild relatives. These innovative technologies will lay the groundwork for

incorporating ancestral DNA in current cattle to increase genetic diversity

Innovations in diet and structure

A better understanding of the mechanisms that prompt optimal growth is a critical factor in

sustaining the cattle industry&#39;s future. A plethora of research has been done to improve the

availability and quality of feed resources. This work includes strategic supplementation, seed

forage, fibre crop residues and forage conservation.

References

* ↑ Boyles, S.L. and Pellegrino, J.M., 2009. World beef cattle production. Agricultural Sciences-Volume I, 1, p.157.
* ↑ Hodges, John (2019-03-01), "Animal Genetic Resources and World Food Production", Beef Cattle Science Handbook, CRC Press, pp. 228–234, ISBN 978-0-429-04518-9, retrieved 2023-02-22
* 1 2 3 Terry, Stephanie A.; Basarab, John A.; Guan, Le Luo; McAllister, Tim A. (2021-03-01). "Strategies to improve the efficiency of beef cattle production". Canadian Journal of Animal Science. 101 (1): 1–19. doi:10.1139/cjas-2020-0022. ISSN 0008-3984.
* 1 2 Rouquette, Monte; Corriher-Olson, Vanessa; Smith, Gerald R. (2020), "Management strategies for pastures and beef cattle in the Middle-South: The I-20 Corridor", Management Strategies for Sustainable Cattle Production in Southern Pastures, Elsevier, pp. 123–187, retrieved 2023-02-22
* 1 2 3 Jelinski, MD (2015). "Demographics of the Canadian cow-calf industry for the period 1991 to 2011". Canadian veterinary journal. 2 (56): 163–168. {{cite journal}}: line feed character in |title= at position 67 (help)
* 1 2 3 "Beef Cattle Farming | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
* 1 2 MacLachlan, Ian (2006). "The historical development of cattle production in Canada". The Canadian Historical Review.
* 1 2 Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2017-05-10). "The Daily — 2016 Census of Agriculture". www150.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
* 1 2 Alemu, Aklilu W.; Amiro, Brian D.; Bittman, Shabtai; MacDonald, Douglas; Ominski, Kim H. (2016-06-01). "A typological characterization of Canadian beef cattle farms based on a producer survey". Canadian Journal of Animal Science. 96 (2): 187–202. doi:10.1139/cjas-2015-0060. ISSN 0008-3984.
* ↑ "ANALYSIS OF REVERSE SUPPLY CHAIN PERFORMANCE IN BEEF INDUSTRY WITH THE SUPPLY CHAIN OPERATION REFERENCE METHOD". Jurnal Teknologi Industri Pertanian: 329–337. 2020-12. doi:10.24961/j.tek.ind.pert.2020.30.3.329. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
* 1 2 Thornton, Philip K. (2010-09-27). "Livestock production: recent trends, future prospects". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 365 (1554): 2853–2867. doi:10.1098/rstb.2010.0134. ISSN 0962-8436.
* ↑ Taberlet, Pierre; Coissac, Eric; Pansu, Johan; Pompanon, François (2011-03). "Conservation genetics of cattle, sheep, and goats". Comptes Rendus Biologies. 334 (3): 247–254. doi:10.1016/j.crvi.2010.12.007. ISSN 1631-0691. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
