In this section:
The Canadian Agricultural Tradition Cattle Production in Canada Animal Welfare Standards and Enforcement Respecting the Natural Environment Leadership in Animal Health Canadian Cattle Production System Advantages
Cattle production has been an essential part of the Canadian agricultural tradition for more than 300 years. Settlers coming to our lands in the 1600s relied on cattle for their meat, milk, and leather. Over time, production expanded and at present there are more than five million beef cows on 90,000 farms and ranches across Canada.
The process of raising cattle for beef production begins on the cow-calf operation where breeding typically occurs in the summer, followed by the birth of the calf the following spring. After weaning, calves are provided with feed, shelter and bedding throughout the Canadian winter when snow and cold temperatures act as a natural barrier to disease. When animals reach a target weight of 770 to 880 lbs they are fed a carefully formulated diet of grain in the feedlot. This promotes well-marbled, flavorful and tender meat with firm, white-colored fat. The Canadian cattle industry maintains an ongoing effort to enhance beef quality through breed selection and genetic improvement programs.
Canada’s National Farm Animal Care Council has the responsibility for Codes of Practice for the care and handling of farm animals. The Code for beef cattle was developed through a collaborative effort which included Canadian cattle producers, veterinarians, regulators, and animal welfare advocates. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency enforces the standards in the federal Health of Animals Act for transportation of animals, and monitors the humane handling and slaughter of cattle used to produce beef exported to the U.S. Maintaining animal welfare is an important responsibility and an essential contributor to high quality beef production.
Canada is the second largest country in the world and has an abundance of fresh water and wide open spaces. Often the land used for grazing by cattle is not well suited to other types of agriculture; cattle production allows this area to be used productively. For a cattle operation to be sustainable, soil and water quality must be closely monitored and maintained. Provincial and federal laws protect the natural environment and support the safety and wholesomeness of Canadian beef.
The health of Canada’s breeding herd is protected by strict controls on importation of livestock genetics. The Animal Health and Production Division of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency determines if importation of animals, embryos or semen will be permitted based on a detailed assessment, including a review of the exporting country’s animal health status. Canada utilizes a national animal disease surveillance program to detect potentially emerging animal diseases and monitor the effectiveness of control programs. If disease is detected, the ability to rapidly and accurately identify the herd of origin of affected animals is supported by the National Cattle Identification System. This mandatory system is enforced under Canadian federal law and is the first of its type in North America.
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Canada’s cooler weather does not limit the selection of breeds to those which can tolerate high heat conditions with potentially reduced carcass quality. The Canadian industry utilizes Bos taurus type genetics, which include Angus, Charolais, Hereford, Simmental and Limousin breeds. Cross breeding is utilized to combine the best characteristics of several breeds into one animal. Canada produces more than 30 different breeds of cattle.
Canadian breeding stock producers utilize tools such as real-time ultrasound to examine the rib-eye area, back fat and marbling levels in the live animal, which help determine its genetic potential. Ultrasound measurements used to determine the area of the rib-eye are taken at the same site used for grading. In this way characteristics of the live animal are related to yield and quality attributes of the carcass.
Canada is one of the largest grain producers in the world. In the western provinces, more than 80,000 farmers grow crops of barley and wheat, while eastern Canada grows significant amounts of corn. As a result, Canada can supply beef produced from cattle fed diets of barley and wheat, as well as producing corn-fed beef and veal.
The Animal Nutrition Association of Canada has developed a comprehensive HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) system for animal feed production called FeedAssure™. This program includes a requirement for independent audits of feed mills including production processes and record keeping.
The National Cattle Identification System is enforced under the authority of federal law. Each animal must have an ear tag approved by the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency when leaving its original herd. Canada’s mandatory system utilizes radio frequency identification (RFID) ear tags and an Internet database to enable rapid and accurate animal identification.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency Animal Disease Surveillance Unit works to detect and respond to potentially emerging animal diseases. Through the formation of a nationwide network, the disease detection capabilities of Canada’s veterinarians, and its provincial and university diagnostic laboratories are combined.