This page represents the main culling and replacement rates in Canada
| Cows | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of herds enrolled on a milk recording program | 6,446 | 6,284 | 5,975 | 5,675 | 5,549 | 5,333 |
| Number of cows | 614,064 | 600,480 | 585,421 | 563,693 | 567,293 | 563,492 |
Culling Reasons
Culling Reasons
| Culling Reasons | 2020 Number of cows | 2020 Total (%) | 2021 Number of cows | 2021 Total (%) | 2022 Number of cows | 2022 Total (%) | 2023 Number of cows | 2023 Total (%) | 2024 Number of cows | 2024 Total (%) | 2025 Number of cows | 2025 Total (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reproductive | 38,120 | 15.2% | 37,408 | 15.5% | 31,210 | 14.2% | 32,215 | 14.5% | 28,636 | 13.7% | 28,375 | 13.4% |
| Mastitis | 22,528 | 9.0% | 21,469 | 8.9% | 17,014 | 7.7% | 16,775 | 7.6% | 16,142 | 7.7% | 15,721 | 7.4% |
| Feet and leg problems | 15,243 | 6.1% | 15,550 | 6.4% | 12,799 | 5.8% | 13,025 | 5.9% | 11,813 | 5.7% | 11,883 | 5.6% |
| Low milk production | 18,744 | 7.5% | 19,378 | 8.0% | 16,610 | 7.5% | 16,505 | 7.4% | 14,841 | 7.1% | 15,563 | 7.3% |
| Sickness | 9,717 | 3.9% | 9,405 | 3.9% | 8,219 | 3.7% | 7,844 | 3.5% | 7,474 | 3.6% | 7,633 | 3.6% |
| Injury to udder/teats | 9,741 | 3.9% | 10,364 | 4.3% | 8,495 | 3.9% | 8,526 | 3.8% | 7,555 | 3.6% | 7,463 | 3.5% |
| Injury/Accident | 7,992 | 3.2% | 8,023 | 3.3% | 7,685 | 3.5% | 7,261 | 3.3% | 7,148 | 3.4% | 6,933 | 3.3% |
| Old age | 4,776 | 1.9% | 5,058 | 2.1% | 4,300 | 2.0% | 4,396 | 2.0% | 4,241 | 2.0% | 4,406 | 2.1% |
| Difficult calving | 1,186 | 0.5% | 1,144 | 0.5% | 1,151 | 0.5% | 1,040 | 0.5% | 985 | 0.5% | 1,041 | 0.5% |
| Bad temperament | 1,855 | 0.7% | 2,052 | 0.8% | 1,747 | 0.8% | 1,555 | 0.7% | 1,417 | 0.7% | 1,356 | 0.6% |
| Conformation | 1,392 | 0.6% | 1,473 | 0.6% | 1,428 | 0.6% | 1,296 | 0.6% | 1,217 | 0.6% | 1,352 | 0.6% |
| Displaced abomasum | 622 | 0.2% | 605 | 0.3% | 561 | 0.3% | 458 | 0.2% | 413 | 0.2% | 378 | 0.2% |
| Milk fever | 801 | 0.3% | 794 | 0.3% | 750 | 0.3% | 596 | 0.3% | 551 | 0.3% | 525 | 0.2% |
| Slow milker | 1,222 | 0.5% | 1,246 | 0.5% | 1,079 | 0.5% | 1,180 | 0.5% | 1,018 | 0.5% | 1,118 | 0.5% |
| Arthritis | 645 | 0.3% | 639 | 0.3% | 519 | 0.2% | 538 | 0.2% | 443 | 0.2% | 452 | 0.2% |
| Pneumonia | 942 | 0.4% | 1,056 | 0.4% | 1,152 | 0.5% | 1,186 | 0.5% | 1,213 | 0.6% | 1,106 | 0.5% |
| Staph aureus | 396 | 0.2% | 303 | 0.1% | 275 | 0.1% | 215 | 0.1% | 229 | 0.1% | 239 | 0.1% |
| Leukosis | 430 | 0.2% | 400 | 0.2% | 431 | 0.2% | 451 | 0.2% | 414 | 0.2% | 364 | 0.2% |
| Low fat | 81 | 0.0% | 104 | 0.0% | 177 | 0.1% | 152 | 0.1% | 192 | 0.1% | 215 | 0.1% |
| Paratuberculose | 32 | 0.0% | 35 | 0.0% | 44 | 0.0% | 39 | 0.0% | 49 | 0.0% | 48 | 0.0% |
| Low protein | 35 | 0.0% | 17 | 0.0% | 12 | 0.0% | 33 | 0.0% | 18 | 0.0% | 54 | 0.0% |
| Unknown | 62,197 | 24.8% | 54,904 | 22.7% | 56,466 | 25.6% | 55,983 | 25.2% | 52,406 | 25.1% | 56,971 | 26.8% |
| Total culling reasons | 198,697 | 79.1% | 191,427 | 79.3% | 172,124 | 78.2% | 171,269 | 77.2% | 158,415 | 75.9% | 163,196 | 76.9% |
| Culling Rate | 32.4% | 31.9% | 29.4% | 30.4% | 27.9% | 28.9% |
Other Reasons
Other Reasons for replacement - Sold for Production
| Culling Reasons | 2020 Number of cows | 2020 Total (%) | 2021 Number of cows | 2021 Total (%) | 2022 Number of cows | 2022 Total (%) | 2023 Number of cows | 2023 Total (%) | 2024 Number of cows | 2024 Total (%) | 2025 Number of cows | 2025 Total (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dairy production | 37,788 | 15.0% | 35,664 | 14.8% | 35,485 | 16.1% | 35,081 | 15.8% | 35,248 | 16.9% | 35,005 | 16.5% |
| Exported | 1,651 | 0.7% | 1,347 | 0.6% | 1,631 | 0.7% | 2,206 | 1.0% | 2,225 | 1.1% | 2,475 | 1.2% |
| Transfers | 992 | 0.4% | 905 | 0.4% | 1,310 | 0.6% | 1,176 | 0.5% | 1,106 | 0.5% | 1,446 | 0.7% |
| Rented out | 279 | 0.1% | 347 | 0.1% | 511 | 0.2% | 745 | 0.3% | 465 | 0.2% | 564 | 0.3% |
| Poison | 204 | 0.1% | 159 | 0.1% | 149 | 0.1% | 147 | 0.1% | 124 | 0.1% | 141 | 0.1% |
| Peritonitis | 221 | 0.1% | 276 | 0.1% | 258 | 0.1% | 281 | 0.1% | 215 | 0.1% | 224 | 0.1% |
| Bloat | 50 | 0.0% | 63 | 0.0% | 54 | 0.0% | 64 | 0.0% | 36 | 0.0% | 45 | 0.0% |
| Electrocution | 7 | 0.0% | 3 | 0.0% | 12 | 0.0% | 7 | 0.0% | 6 | 0.0% | 11 | 0.0% |
| Others | 11,214 | 4.5% | 11,337 | 4.7% | 8,616 | 3.9% | 10,745 | 4.8% | 10,845 | 5.2% | 9,181 | 4.3% |
| Total other reasons for replacement | 52,406 | 20.9% | 50,101 | 20.7% | 48,026 | 21.8% | 50,452 | 22.8% | 50,270 | 24.1% | 49,092 | 23.1% |
| Total Replacement Rate [1] | 40.9% | 40.2% | 37.6% | 39.3% | 36.8% | 37.7% |
- 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 (225 KB), XLSX (30 KB)
If you have any questions or require additional information, please send an e-mail to aafc.cdic-ccil.aac@agr.gc.ca