Culling and replacement rates in dairy herds in Canada

This page represents the main culling and replacement rates in Canada

Number of cows and herds enrolled on a milk recording program

Cows

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Number of herds enrolled on a milk recording program

6,787

6,446

6,284

5,975

5,675

5,549

Number of cows

621,509

614,064

600,480

585,421

563,693

567,293

Culling Reasons

Culling Reasons

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 (%)

2024 
Number of cows

2024 
Total (%)

Reproductive

39,993

15.9%

38,120

15.2%

37,408

15.5%

31,210

14.2%

32,215

14.5%

28,636

13.7%

Mastitis

23,832

9.5%

22,528

9.0%

21,469

8.9%

17,014

7.7%

16,775

7.6%

16,142

7.7%

Feet and leg problems

16,151

6.4%

15,243

6.1%

15,550

6.4%

12,799

5.8%

13,025

5.9%

11,813

5.7%

Low milk production

18,872

7.5%

18,744

7.5%

19,378

8.0%

16,610

7.5%

16,505

7.4%

14,841

7.1%

Sickness

10,521

4.2%

9,717

3.9%

9,405

3.9%

8,219

3.7%

7,844

3.5%

7,474

3.6%

Injury to udder/teats

10,063

4.0%

9,741

3.9%

10,364

4.3%

8,495

3.9%

8,526

3.8%

7,555

3.6%

Injury/Accident

8,321

3.3%

7,992

3.2%

8,023

3.3%

7,685

3.5%

7,261

3.3%

7,148

3.4%

Old age

5,006

2.0%

4,776

1.9%

5,058

2.1%

4,300

2.0%

4,396

2.0%

4,241

2.0%

Difficult calving

1,367

0.5%

1,186

0.5%

1,144

0.5%

1,151

0.5%

1,040

0.5%

985

0.5%

Bad temperament

1,902

0.8%

1,855

0.7%

2,052

0.8%

1,747

0.8%

1,555

0.7%

1,417

0.7%

Conformation

1,646

0.7%

1,392

0.6%

1,473

0.6%

1,428

0.6%

1,296

0.6%

1,217

0.6%

Displaced abomasum

816

0.3%

622

0.2%

605

0.3%

561

0.3%

458

0.2%

413

0.2%

Milk fever

1,005

0.4%

801

0.3%

794

0.3%

750

0.3%

596

0.3%

551

0.3%

Slow milker

1,254

0.5%

1,222

0.5%

1,246

0.5%

1,079

0.5%

1,180

0.5%

1,018

0.5%

Arthritis

700

0.3%

645

0.3%

639

0.3%

519

0.2%

538

0.2%

443

0.2%

Pneumonia

913

0.4%

942

0.4%

1,056

0.4%

1,152

0.5%

1,186

0.5%

1,213

0.6%

Staph aureus

458

0.2%

396

0.2%

303

0.1%

275

0.1%

215

0.1%

229

0.1%

Leukosis

457

0.2%

430

0.2%

400

0.2%

431

0.2%

451

0.2%

414

0.2%

Low fat

82

0.0%

81

0.0%

104

0.0%

177

0.1%

152

0.1%

192

0.1%

Paratuberculose

25

0.0%

32

0.0%

35

0.0%

44

0.0%

39

0.0%

49

0.0%

Low protein

23

0.0%

35

0.0%

17

0.0%

12

0.0%

33

0.0%

18

0.0%

Unknown

59,819

23.7%

62,197

24.8%

54,904

22.7%

56,466

25.6%

55,983

25.2%

52,406

25.1%

Total culling reasons

203,226

80.6%

198,697

79.1%

191,427

79.3%

172,124

78.2%

171,269

77.2%

158,415

75.9%

Culling Rate

32.70%

0.0%

32.36%

0.0%

31.88%

0.0%

29.40%

0.0%

30.38%

0.0%

27.92%

0.0%

Other Reasons

Culling Reasons

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 (%)

2024 
Number of cows

2024 
Total (%)

Dairy production

33,699

13.4%

37,788

15.0%

35,664

14.8%

35,485

16.1%

35,081

15.8%

35,248

16.9%

Exported

1,606

0.6%

1,651

0.7%

1,347

0.6%

1,631

0.7%

2,206

1.0%

2,225

1.1%

Transfers

769

0.3%

992

0.4%

905

0.4%

1,310

0.6%

1,176

0.5%

1,106

0.5%

Rented out

435

0.2%

279

0.1%

347

0.1%

511

0.2%

745

0.3%

465

0.2%

Poison

181

0.1%

204

0.1%

159

0.1%

149

0.1%

147

0.1%

124

0.1%

Peritonitis

257

0.1%

221

0.1%

276

0.1%

258

0.1%

281

0.1%

215

0.1%

Bloat

73

0.0%

50

0.0%

63

0.0%

54

0.0%

64

0.0%

36

0.0%

Electrocution

18

0.0%

7

0.0%

3

0.0%

12

0.0%

7

0.0%

6

0.0%

Others

11,783

4.7%

11,214

4.5%

11,337

4.7%

8,616

3.9%

10,745

4.8%

10,845

5.2%

Total other reasons for replacement

48,821

19.4%

52,406

20.9%

50,101

20.7%

48,026

21.8%

50,452

22.8%

50,270

24.1%

Total Replacement Rate [1]

-

40.55%

-

40.89%

-

40.22%

-

37.61%

-

39.33%

-

36.79%

- Nil 
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 (96 KB), XLS (28 KB)

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