The Canadian sheep industry is ready to expand, says the chair of the Canadian Sheep Federation.
“Sheep markets have been ticking along nicely for almost seven years,” said Fred Baker, a lamb producer from Ontario.
A growing ethnic market in Eastern Canada with a taste for lamb is driving up demand, particularly during religious holiday seasons.
At one time, ethnic consumers preferred smaller, milk-fed lambs, but more are shifting to young, well-muscled animals. Many like to buy direct from the slaughter plant.
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A renewed interest has also appeared among aging, health-conscious baby boomers who have been advised to eat lamb for its low fat, low cholesterol and high zinc content.
Also, more lamb is appearing on restaurant menus. The sheep industry isn’t sure if this popularity is caused by more lamb on the market or because more people are requesting it.
“It’s a chicken and egg thing,” said Baker. “It used to be surprising to see rack of lamb or leg of lamb or kabobs in a restaurant.”
An additional opportunity for Canadians is the eastern United States.
With the loss of government support programs, the American flock has shrunk between six and eight percent every year for nearly 10 years.
Large flocks have been liquidated and in some parts of the eastern seaboard, sheep farming has been reduced to a hobby, Baker said.
In Canada, better prices for all sheep classes and increased consumption have encouraged the national flock to grow nearly 12 percent from last year.
The greatest expansion has happened in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. As of July 2000, Manitoba’s inventory jumped to 78,600 lambs and sheep from 57,500 last year.
Saskatchewan’s flock increased to 102,000 from 83,400.
Ontario remains the country’s largest lamb producer. On July 1 there were 280,000 sheep, followed by Alberta at 229,600. Quebec is in third place at 180,000. Ontario and Quebec’s numbers increased by about 11 percent while Alberta grew by seven percent.
Even with this growth, Canadian producers can provide only half the country’s needs. New Zealand and Australian imports make up the shortfall. Baker said expansion would happen faster if the industry had better vaccines and a more sophisticated marketing system.
