1 – Industry Overview Flashcards

1
Q

Important points

A
  • Meat consumption
  • Production and export
  • Inventory
  • Western Canada production
  • Industry is segmented
  • Contraction has led to high prices
  • Packing industry is extremely consolidated
  • Segmentation allows a variety of pathways
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2
Q

Meat consumption

A
  • Stable in Canada
  • Beef and pork: 16-18kg/person
  • Poultry continues to increase: 35kg/person
  • *beef dropped slightly but went up again
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3
Q

Why is poultry increasing?

A
  • Cheaper
  • “healthy”
  • Environmental concerns
  • *faster to cook
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4
Q

Canada and beef production + export

A
  • Small player for production (#10)
  • *significant exporter (#8)
    o We are very dependent on US market=top customer
    o Also a decent about to Japan
    o *grain finished, high-quality beef (#2 for ‘high quality’ beef)
  • *we can NOT eat all the beef we produce
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5
Q

Beef suppliers to Canada

A
  • US: 57%
  • ‘cheaper’ beef from: NZ, Australia, Mexico, Brazil
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6
Q

Canadian cow herd has been in a long-term phase of CONTRACTION

A
  • “cattle cycle” traditionally 7-13 years
    o Influenced by price, production and profit
    o Biological lag from price signal due to reproduction constraints
  • *cycle pattern has been disrupted in last 15 years
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7
Q

Canadian beef industry: inventory

A
  • Dropping steadily
  • *less than 12M now
  • *period of contraction
  • COW: 3.46M
  • Farm: ~50,000
  • *US also dropping
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8
Q

Western Canada and beef production

A
  • 45% AB
  • 28% SK
  • 11% MB
  • *BC decreasing: 5.25
  • *OPPOSITE OF DAIRY INDUSTRY
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9
Q

AB and beef production

A
  • Dominate fed cattle production
  • 2/3 of cattle destined for slaughter
  • # 4/5 region (SK #9/10)
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10
Q

Beef industry is segmented

A
  • Cow calf: predominately SMALL herds
  • Intermediate stages of backgrounding and stocker operations
  • Feedlot: predominated by LARGER commercial operations (primarily S. AB)
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11
Q

What are the 3 phases of cattle producton?

A
  1. Cow-calf
  2. Backgrounder/stocker
  3. Feedlot
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12
Q

Cow-calf

A
  • Basic production unit
  • Secondary or tertiary enterprise
  • Utilizes land unsuited for other farming
  • Small numbers of animals per herd
  • *in W. Canada majority of calves born Jan15-June 30
  • S. US: spread year round
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13
Q

Canadian beef cow herd size

A
  • Average: 69 cows (can’t make a living)
  • 2/3 of farms have less than 47 cows
    o 16% of total
  • 15% have more than 122 cows
    o 2/3 of population total
  • *only ~500 that have over 500 cows=actually making a living off of it
  • **total per farm: 115 average (SK and AB have the larger herd sizes)
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14
Q

Cow-calf sales

A
  • Sell calves at weaning
    o Some wean and sell at a later date
  • Direct sale to feedlot
  • Auction market system
  • Satellite/internet sales
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15
Q

Backgrounder

A
  • Feed cattle for GROWTH prior to going to feedlot for finishing
  • May occur on original cow-calf ranch or may involve a change in ownership
  • Involves feeding calves for a shorter period for moderate weight gain
  • Medium-low energy rations (forage based)
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16
Q

Stocker

A
  • Utilize forage and crop residues
  • Grain stubble, wheat pasture, grass
  • Often involve pasture on calves that have been backgrounded the previous winter
  • Will be sold as YEARLINGS for a short period of finishing in the feedlot
17
Q

Backgrounder/stocker: what is need and location

A
  • Limited infrastructure
    o Confinement in pens, grazing pastures or a combo
  • Located where forage and grazing areas are in ABUNDANCE
  • Utilized primarily by feedlot operators and/or cattle feeders to provide live cattle to the beef processor on a year round basis
18
Q

Feedlot

A
  • Fed in pens where harvested feed is brought to them
  • High energy diet
  • Cattle may be 12-24 months of age
  • Farmer-feeder/corporate feedlots
  • Custom feeding vs. owning cattle
  • *70% of cattle fed in lots >1000 head
19
Q

Feedlot numbers: days feed, target slaughter, animals per pen and site

A
  • Calves: 180-280 days
  • Yearlings: 100-180 days
  • Target slaughter weight: 1250-1550lb live for steers
  • Intensive production
  • 100-350 animals per pen
  • Up to 150,000 per site
  • *high energy, low roughage diets to optimize growth
20
Q

Provincial fed cattle production: %

A
  • 71% AB
  • 18% ON
  • 8% BC/SK/MB
  • *AB and ON make top 10
  • **Less than 200 feedlots in AB + SK (less than 1000 feedlots)
    **PYRAMID THAT GETS NARROWED DOWN QUICKLY
21
Q

Why is feeding industry concentrated in Alberta?

A
  • Access to grain
  • Access to weaned calves
  • Dry semi-arid climate=ideal for cattle production
  • *established infrastructure with the meat packing industry CONCENTRATED in Alberta
22
Q

What has contraction of the industry led to?

A
  • High prices for cow-calf industry
  • *drought in 2021-2023 had major impact
  • PRICE: $/cwt live weight (cwt: per 100lbs NOT kgs)
  • Weaned calves have seen historic HIGHS due to high demand and LOW volume
  • Margins in feedlot sector has been very VOLATILE
  • *feedlot profitability is tied to grain prices, Canadian dollar and cattle prices
    o Highly volatile with LOW margins
23
Q

Price right now: $/cwt, calves and cull cows

A
  • Calf: $425/cwt
  • *historic highs
  • Cull cow: $180/cwt
24
Q

Packing industry is EXTREMELY consolidated

A
  • Only 4 major plants in Canada
    o Cargill: High river, Guelph
    o JBS: Brooks
    o Several small ones (Harmony Beef)
  • Slaughter cattle market is still competitive
    o Only really 3 in Canada, but will take some from US as well
  • *carcass weights continue to increase which helps efficiency of production
25
Q

Packing plants

A
  • Very cool
  • Disassembly plant
  • Put in boxes=particular cuts
    o Ex. tongues (Europe, Mexico, Japan)
    o Ex. steaks (NA)
26
Q

Food retailer market share

A
  • Loblaws/Shoppers
  • Sobeys/Safeway
  • Metro
  • Costco
  • *Walmart=highest globally
27
Q

Carcass weights

A
  • Continues to increase!
28
Q

Segmentation of beef industry allows cattle to move to slaughter through a variety of pathways

A
  • Partly dependent on market conditions
  • Backgrounding/stocking allow us to put cattle in a ‘temporary holding patter’ and slow down their growth
  • *Livestock market is essential part of the industry