Culling and replacement rates in dairy herds in Canada
This page represents the main culling and replacement rates in Canada
Cows | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of herds enrolled on a milk recording program | 9,039 | 8,585 | 8,299 | 7,827 | 7,246 | 6,787 |
Number of cows | 696,737 | 694,265 | 691,743 | 703,143 | 661,638 | 621,509 |
Culling Reasons
Culling Reasons
Culling Reasons | 2014 Number of cows |
2014 Total (%) |
2015 Number of cows |
2015 Total (%) |
2016 Number of cows |
2016 Total (%) |
2017 Number of cows |
2017 Total (%) |
2018 Number of cows |
2018 Total (%) |
2019 Number of cows |
2019 Total (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Reproductive | 47,689 | 17.4% | 44,016 | 17.1% | 42,251 | 16.6% | 39,772 | 16.9% | 44,646 | 16.8% | 39,993 | 15.9% |
Mastitis | 30,569 | 11.2% | 29,151 | 11.3% | 27,708 | 10.9% | 24,695 | 10.5% | 27,562 | 10.4% | 23,832 | 9.5% |
Feet and leg problems | 19,666 | 7.2% | 18,833 | 7.3% | 17,643 | 6.9% | 16,084 | 6.8% | 17,861 | 6.7% | 16,151 | 6.4% |
Low milk production | 19,159 | 7.0% | 18,870 | 7.3% | 17,650 | 6.9% | 16,174 | 6.9% | 19,785 | 7.5% | 18,872 | 7.5% |
Sickness | 13,171 | 4.8% | 12,677 | 4.9% | 12,140 | 4.8% | 11,841 | 5.0% | 11,352 | 4.3% | 10,521 | 4.2% |
Injury to udder/teats | 11,564 | 4.2% | 11,123 | 4.3% | 10,801 | 4.2% | 7,655 | 3.3% | 10,799 | 4.1% | 10,063 | 4.0% |
Injury/Accident | 9,768 | 3.6% | 9,667 | 3.8% | 9,414 | 3.7% | 9,161 | 3.9% | 9,134 | 3.4% | 8,321 | 3.3% |
Old age | 5,199 | 1.9% | 5,088 | 2.0% | 4,785 | 1.9% | 4,498 | 1.9% | 5,334 | 2.0% | 5,006 | 2.0% |
Difficult calving | 1,754 | 0.6% | 1,508 | 0.6% | 1,520 | 0.6% | 1,438 | 0.6% | 1,434 | 0.5% | 1,367 | 0.5% |
Bad temperament | 2,197 | 0.8% | 1,847 | 0.7% | 1,758 | 0.7% | 1,501 | 0.6% | 1,784 | 0.7% | 1,902 | 0.8% |
Conformation | 1,767 | 0.6% | 1,585 | 0.6% | 1,502 | 0.6% | 1,254 | 0.5% | 1,550 | 0.6% | 1,646 | 0.7% |
Displaced abomasum | 1,011 | 0.4% | 892 | 0.3% | 848 | 0.3% | 841 | 0.4% | 838 | 0.3% | 816 | 0.3% |
Milk fever | 1,259 | 0.5% | 1,165 | 0.5% | 1,085 | 0.4% | 1,075 | 0.5% | 1,016 | 0.4% | 1,005 | 0.4% |
Slow milker | 1,447 | 0.5% | 1,348 | 0.5% | 1,277 | 0.5% | 1,076 | 0.5% | 1,352 | 0.5% | 1,254 | 0.5% |
Arthritis | 887 | 0.3% | 838 | 0.3% | 746 | 0.3% | 709 | 0.3% | 778 | 0.3% | 700 | 0.3% |
Pneumonia | 786 | 0.3% | 799 | 0.3% | 903 | 0.4% | 912 | 0.4% | 970 | 0.4% | 913 | 0.4% |
Staph aureus | 707 | 0.3% | 570 | 0.2% | 537 | 0.2% | 458 | 0.2% | 535 | 0.2% | 458 | 0.2% |
Leukosis | 698 | 0.3% | 627 | 0.2% | 565 | 0.2% | 511 | 0.2% | 549 | 0.2% | 457 | 0.2% |
Low fat | 57 | 0.0% | 57 | 0.0% | 71 | 0.0% | 65 | 0.0% | 111 | 0.0% | 82 | 0.0% |
Paratuberculose | 89 | 0.0% | 77 | 0.0% | 57 | 0.0% | 41 | 0.0% | 48 | 0.0% | 25 | 0.0% |
Low protein | 31 | 0.0% | 21 | 0.0% | 16 | 0.0% | 8 | 0.0% | 21 | 0.0% | 23 | 0.0% |
Unknown | 50,555 | 18.5% | 46,408 | 18.0% | 50,524 | 19.9% | 50,012 | 21.2% | 60,552 | 22.9% | 59,819 | 23.7% |
Total culling reasons | 220,030 | 80.3% | 207,167 | 80.4% | 203,801 | 80.1% | 189,781 | 80.6% | 218,011 | 82.3% | 203,226 | 80.6% |
Culling Rate | 31.58% | 0.0% | 29.84% | 0.0% | 29.46% | 0.0% | 26.99% | 0.0% | 32.95% | 0.0% | 32.70% | 0.0% |
Other Reasons
Other Reasons for replacement - Sold for Production
Culling Reasons | 2014 Number of cows |
2014 Total (%) |
2015 Number of cows |
2015 Total (%) |
2016 Number of cows |
2016 Total (%) |
2017 Number of cows |
2017 Total (%) |
2018 Number of cows |
2018 Total (%) |
2019 Number of cows |
2019 Total (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dairy production | 37,491 | 13.7% | 35,085 | 13.6% | 34,358 | 13.5% | 30,861 | 13.1% | 31,046 | 11.7% | 33,699 | 13.4% |
Exported | 2,276 | 0.8% | 2,239 | 0.9% | 2,291 | 0.9% | 1,488 | 0.6% | 1,502 | 0.6% | 1,606 | 0.6% |
Transfers | 976 | 0.4% | 1,021 | 0.4% | 859 | 0.3% | 927 | 0.4% | 788 | 0.3% | 769 | 0.3% |
Rented out | 621 | 0.2% | 420 | 0.2% | 521 | 0.2% | 598 | 0.3% | 556 | 0.2% | 435 | 0.2% |
Poison | 240 | 0.1% | 190 | 0.1% | 218 | 0.1% | 193 | 0.1% | 204 | 0.1% | 181 | 0.1% |
Peritonitis | 296 | 0.1% | 260 | 0.1% | 232 | 0.1% | 273 | 0.1% | 252 | 0.1% | 257 | 0.1% |
Bloat | 110 | 0.0% | 75 | 0.0% | 79 | 0.0% | 93 | 0.0% | 82 | 0.0% | 73 | 0.0% |
Electrocution | 12 | 0.0% | 11 | 0.0% | 11 | 0.0% | 24 | 0.0% | 13 | 0.0% | 18 | 0.0% |
Others | 11,893 | 4.3% | 11,061 | 4.3% | 11,941 | 4.7% | 11,233 | 4.8% | 12,534 | 4.7% | 11,783 | 4.7% |
Total other reasons for replacement | 53,915 | 19.7% | 50,362 | 19.6% | 50,510 | 19.9% | 45,690 | 19.4% | 46,977 | 17.7% | 48,821 | 19.4% |
Total Replacement Rate [1] | - | 39.32% | - | 37.09% | - | 36.76% | - | 33.49% | - | 40.05% | - | 40.55% |
- Nil
[1] Includes total culling reasons and total other reasons
Source: CanWest DHI and Valacta
Calculations done by Agriculture and Agrifood Canada - Animal Industry Division, Market Information Section
For your convenience, this report is available in the following formats:
PDF (57.9 KB),
Excel (44 KB)
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