Alberta Agriculture Statistics Yearbook, 2012
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Across Canada, Alberta ranked fourth in pig inventories (1.4 million head), behind Quebec (4.1 million head), Ontario (3.1
million head), and Manitoba (2.9 million head). All provinces posted gains in hog inventories. Alberta accounted for 25.8 per
cent of the Western Canadian pig population of 5.5 million head, and 11.0 per cent of the national total of 12.8 million head.
Over a tenth of Canadian pork processing occurred in Alberta. In 2012, hog slaughter in federally and provincially inspected
plants, irrespective of origin, declined 4.0 per cent to 2.4 million head, compared to 2011. The 2012 slaughter represented
11.4
per cent of the Canadian total of 21.1 million head, and 27.7 per cent of the Western Canadian total of 8.7 million head.
In 2012, Alberta slaughter hog prices declined compared to 2011. The annual average index 100 hog price decreased 3.2
per cent to $1.51 per kilogram, from $1.56 per kilogram a year earlier.
Sheep and Lambs
As of July 1, 2012, the size of the provincial flock was 201,000 head, down 1.0 per cent from a year earlier. A steady decline
in market prices in 2012, caused by the drought in the United States that led to increased marketings, in combination with
high feed costs, had an impact on inventories.
Ewes, at 91,600 head, fell 1.1 per cent from July 1, 2011. Replacement lambs dropped 1.3 per cent to 14,900 head, while
market lambs declined 1.1 per cent to 89,300 head. Total rams rose 4.0 per cent to 5,200 head.
Among provinces, Alberta ranked third in sheep and lamb inventories (201,000 head), behind Ontario (359,000 head), and
Quebec (273,000 head). The decline in sheep and lamb inventories was not unique to Alberta, as Newfoundland and
Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec and Ontario showed a decline as well. Posting gains were Prince Edward Island, New
Brunswick, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The British Columbia flock size remained flat from to 2011.
Apiculture (1)
Preliminary estimates indicate that the number of beekeepers in Alberta increased in 2012. There were 800 beekeepers in
the province (up 0.3 per cent from 2011), and represented 9.8 per cent of the Canadian total of 8,126 producers, and 19.0
per cent of the Western Canadian total of 4,221 producers.
For the third consecutive year, colony numbers set a new record at 282,000 colonies, up 2.7 per cent from the 2011 total of
274,600
colonies. Despite Alberta accounting for a relatively small percentage of the nation’s total beekeepers, the province
had 39.9 per cent of the honey producing colonies in Canada (706,429 colonies), and 53.3 per cent of the Western
Canadian total (529,560 colonies).
Total honey production was estimated at 18,380 tonnes or 19.0 per cent higher than the 15,445 tonnes in 2011. Some of the
factors that led to the increase in production were improvement in yield per colony and growth in colony numbers.
Alberta continues to lead the nation in honey production, accounting for 44.6 per cent of the Canadian total of 41,222
tonnes, and 51.5 per cent of the Western Canadian total of 35,681 tonnes.
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(1) 2012
honey statistics are based on the Statistics Canada, CANSIM Database Table Number 001-0007 hence, estimates are subject to revision.
Preliminary estimates are used to facilitate comparisons with Canada.