RED DEER – Hog and sheep numbers were down slightly in the national January 2006 livestock census.
Hogs decreased to 4.5 million head from 4.6 million. Manitoba saw a slight increase to 2.9 million from 2.8 million, while Saskatchewan and Alberta hog numbers remained about the same. Saskatchewan reported 1.3 million hogs while Alberta remains at two million.
British Columbia dropped to 167,000 pigs from 172,000.
Hog exports overall dropped by 3.4 percent compared to 2004. About eight million were exported mostly to the United States.
Market hog prices also dipped slightly but cheap feed helped offset the drop.
Sheep populations dropped by about 60,000 head to 919,000 for the 2006 report. Quebec and Atlantic Canada were the only regions reporting a slight increase.
Sheep were caught in the BSE embargo and even when the border opened to exports, shipments were negligible. Farmgate sales remained strong throughout the year with about 230,000 lambs sold direct to customers. Total sheep slaughter in 2004 was reported at 781,900. No slaughter numbers were available for 2005.
