This page represents the main culling and replacement rates in Canada
| Cows | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of herds enrolled on a milk recording program | 7,246 | 6,787 | 6,446 | 6,284 | 5,975 | 5,675 |
| Number of cows | 661,638 | 621,509 | 614,064 | 600,480 | 585,421 | 563,693 |
Culling Reasons
Culling Reasons
| Culling Reasons | 2018 Number of cows |
2018 Total (%) |
2019 Number of cows |
2019 Total (%) |
2020 Number of cows |
2020 Total (%) |
2021 Number of cows |
2021 Total (%) |
2022 Number of cows |
2022 Total (%) |
2023 Number of cows |
2023 Total (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reproductive | 44,646 | 16.8% | 39,993 | 15.9% | 38,120 | 15.2% | 37,408 | 15.5% | 31,210 | 14.2% | 32,215 | 14.5% |
| Mastitis | 27,562 | 10.4% | 23,832 | 9.5% | 22,528 | 9.0% | 21,469 | 8.9% | 17,014 | 7.7% | 16,775 | 7.6% |
| Feet and leg problems | 17,861 | 6.7% | 16,151 | 6.4% | 15,243 | 6.1% | 15,550 | 6.4% | 12,799 | 5.8% | 13,025 | 5.9% |
| Low milk production | 19,785 | 7.5% | 18,872 | 7.5% | 18,744 | 7.5% | 19,378 | 8.0% | 16,610 | 7.5% | 16,505 | 7.4% |
| Sickness | 11,352 | 4.3% | 10,521 | 4.2% | 9,717 | 3.9% | 9,405 | 3.9% | 8,219 | 3.7% | 7,844 | 3.5% |
| Injury to udder/teats | 10,799 | 4.1% | 10,063 | 4.0% | 9,741 | 3.9% | 10,364 | 4.3% | 8,495 | 3.9% | 8,526 | 3.8% |
| Injury/Accident | 9,134 | 3.4% | 8,321 | 3.3% | 7,992 | 3.2% | 8,023 | 3.3% | 7,685 | 3.5% | 7,261 | 3.3% |
| Old age | 5,334 | 2.0% | 5,006 | 2.0% | 4,776 | 1.9% | 5,058 | 2.1% | 4,300 | 2.0% | 4,396 | 2.0% |
| Difficult calving | 1,434 | 0.5% | 1,367 | 0.5% | 1,186 | 0.5% | 1,144 | 0.5% | 1,151 | 0.5% | 1,040 | 0.5% |
| Bad temperament | 1,784 | 0.7% | 1,902 | 0.8% | 1,855 | 0.7% | 2,052 | 0.8% | 1,747 | 0.8% | 1,555 | 0.7% |
| Conformation | 1,550 | 0.6% | 1,646 | 0.7% | 1,392 | 0.6% | 1,473 | 0.6% | 1,428 | 0.6% | 1,296 | 0.6% |
| Displaced abomasum | 838 | 0.3% | 816 | 0.3% | 622 | 0.2% | 605 | 0.3% | 561 | 0.3% | 458 | 0.2% |
| Milk fever | 1,016 | 0.4% | 1,005 | 0.4% | 801 | 0.3% | 794 | 0.3% | 750 | 0.3% | 596 | 0.3% |
| Slow milker | 1,352 | 0.5% | 1,254 | 0.5% | 1,222 | 0.5% | 1,246 | 0.5% | 1,079 | 0.5% | 1,180 | 0.5% |
| Arthritis | 778 | 0.3% | 700 | 0.3% | 645 | 0.3% | 639 | 0.3% | 519 | 0.2% | 538 | 0.2% |
| Pneumonia | 970 | 0.4% | 913 | 0.4% | 942 | 0.4% | 1,056 | 0.4% | 1,152 | 0.5% | 1,186 | 0.5% |
| Staph aureus | 535 | 0.2% | 458 | 0.2% | 396 | 0.2% | 303 | 0.1% | 275 | 0.1% | 215 | 0.1% |
| Leukosis | 549 | 0.2% | 457 | 0.2% | 430 | 0.2% | 400 | 0.2% | 431 | 0.2% | 451 | 0.2% |
| Low fat | 111 | 0.0% | 82 | 0.0% | 81 | 0.0% | 104 | 0.0% | 177 | 0.1% | 152 | 0.1% |
| Paratuberculose | 48 | 0.0% | 25 | 0.0% | 32 | 0.0% | 35 | 0.0% | 44 | 0.0% | 39 | 0.0% |
| Low protein | 21 | 0.0% | 23 | 0.0% | 35 | 0.0% | 17 | 0.0% | 12 | 0.0% | 33 | 0.0% |
| Unknown | 60,552 | 22.9% | 59,819 | 23.7% | 62,197 | 24.8% | 54,904 | 22.7% | 56,466 | 25.6% | 55,983 | 25.2% |
| Total culling reasons | 218,011 | 82.3% | 203,226 | 80.6% | 198,697 | 79.1% | 191,427 | 79.3% | 172,124 | 78.2% | 171,269 | 77.2% |
| Culling Rate | 32.95% | 0.0% | 32.70% | 0.0% | 32.36% | 0.0% | 31.88% | 0.0% | 29.40% | 0.0% | 30.38% | 0.0% |
Other Reasons
Other Reasons for replacement - Sold for Production
| Culling Reasons | 2018 Number of cows |
2018 Total (%) |
2019 Number of cows |
2019 Total (%) |
2020 Number of cows |
2020 Total (%) |
2021 Number of cows |
2021 Total (%) |
2022 Number of cows |
2022 Total (%) |
2023 Number of cows |
2023 Total (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dairy production | 31,046 | 11.7% | 33,699 | 13.4% | 37,788 | 15.0% | 35,664 | 14.8% | 35,485 | 16.1% | 35,081 | 15.8% |
| Exported | 1,502 | 0.6% | 1,606 | 0.6% | 1,651 | 0.7% | 1,347 | 0.6% | 1,631 | 0.7% | 2,206 | 1.0% |
| Transfers | 788 | 0.3% | 769 | 0.3% | 992 | 0.4% | 905 | 0.4% | 1,310 | 0.6% | 1,176 | 0.5% |
| Rented out | 556 | 0.2% | 435 | 0.2% | 279 | 0.1% | 347 | 0.1% | 511 | 0.2% | 745 | 0.3% |
| Poison | 204 | 0.1% | 181 | 0.1% | 204 | 0.1% | 159 | 0.1% | 149 | 0.1% | 147 | 0.1% |
| Peritonitis | 252 | 0.1% | 257 | 0.1% | 221 | 0.1% | 276 | 0.1% | 258 | 0.1% | 281 | 0.1% |
| Bloat | 82 | 0.0% | 73 | 0.0% | 50 | 0.0% | 63 | 0.0% | 54 | 0.0% | 64 | 0.0% |
| Electrocution | 13 | 0.0% | 18 | 0.0% | 7 | 0.0% | 3 | 0.0% | 12 | 0.0% | 7 | 0.0% |
| Others | 12,534 | 4.7% | 11,783 | 4.7% | 11,214 | 4.5% | 11,337 | 4.7% | 8,616 | 3.9% | 10,745 | 4.8% |
| Total other reasons for replacement | 46,977 | 17.7% | 48,821 | 19.4% | 52,406 | 20.9% | 50,101 | 20.7% | 48,026 | 21.8% | 50,452 | 22.8% |
| Total Replacement Rate [1] | - | 40.05% | - | 40.55% | - | 40.89% | - | 40.22% | - | 37.61% | - | 39.33% |
- Nil
[1] Includes total culling reasons and total other reasons
Source: Lactanet
Calculations done by Agriculture and Agrifood Canada - Animal Industry Division, Market Information Section
For your convenience, this report is available in the following formats:
PDF (95 KB), XLS (59 KB)
If you have any questions or require additional information, please send an e-mail to aafc.cdic-ccil.aac@agr.gc.ca