Canada -- Livestock Inventory July 1, 2005

OTTAWA - Aug 17/05 - SNS -- Canada's national cattle herd surged to a record 17.3 million head as of July 1, 2005, 17 days before the United States accepted the first shipment of live cattle from Canada in more than two years, says Statistics Canada.

According to the July Livestock Survey of 18,000 farmers, there were 537,000 more head of cattle on their farms than on July 1, 2004. This 3.2% gain was largely the result of limited markets for cattle.

The survey also found that hog inventories increased to nearly 15.0 million due to declining exports.

Survey results reflect the impact of a ban on Canadian cattle that was lifted by the United States after the July 1 survey reference date.

On July 18, the United States accepted the first shipments of live cattle from Canada in over two years. Four days earlier, a US panel of judges overturned an injunction intended to keep the border from re-opening to Canadian cattle.

The ban took effect following the disclosure of a single reported case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad cow disease, on May 20, 2003. The border remained closed to all Canadian beef exports until September 2003 and to imports of live cattle until July 18, 2005.

The expansion of the herd slowed down compared to the year following the ban. Record domestic slaughter and reduced imports have partially offset the dismal live cattle exports.

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