Combined U.S., Canada livestock numbers lower

The combined U.S. and Canadian cattle, hog, and sheep herds have gotten smaller.That decline is largely due to producer concerns about profitability and increased export competition.In a joint report from the USDA and Statistics Canada, the combined hog herd at the end of December 2023 was slightly lower than the year before, with a modest increase in the U.S. canceled out by a 1% decline in Canada. Except for U.S. market hogs and Canada’s pig crop, the major categories were below the previous year’s levels.The combined ...