Other livestock

Decorative picture of alternative livestock
Quick Facts 2023
  • Bison
    • 149,539 bison on 989 farms in Canada
    • Bison production in Canada is concentrated in the west, with 82% of the herd in Saskatchewan and Alberta
    • 9,871 bison slaughtered by federally and provincially licensed establishments
    • Exports: 40,206 live bison valued at $110 million and 304 tonnes of bison meat valued at $6.16 million. Bison meat exports are primarily to the US, but boneless product is also shipped to numerous countries in Europe, most notably Switzerland, Netherland, France and Italy
    • Imports: 704 tonnes of bison meat valued at $12.4 million
  • Goats
    • 253,278 goats on 4,801 Canadian farms. In Canada, the goat industry can be segmented into three distinct sectors: chevon (meat), dairy (milk) and fiber (mohair and cashmere)
    • 99,734 goats slaughtered in Canada. Over 99% of these goats were processed at provincially inspected establishments
    • Exports - No exports for 2023 of goats live or products
    • Imports: 1,241 tonnes of goat meat valued at $9.86 million
  • Cervids
    • 29,655 farm raised cervids (deer and elk) on 402 farms 
    • Elk are primarily farmed in Western Canada and red deer in Eastern Canada. Fallow deer, white-tailed deer and other cervid species are farmed throughout Canada
    • 1,239 deer and 2,065 elk slaughtered in federally and provincially inspected establishments in Canada
    • Exports: 111,075 kg of elk meat. 
    • Imports: 420 tonnes of venison.
  • Mink
    • 1,003,600 mink pelts valued at $30 million, produced on 63 Canadian farms (2020)
 

If you have any questions or require additional information, please send an e-mail to aafc.redmeat-vianderouge.aac@agr.gc.ca