The number of hogs and cattle slaughtered in the first half of this year are up from what they were in 2015.
Statistics Canada says there was a 1.3 per cent jump in hog slaughter up to July 1st.
They report the January-to-June crop hit 14.4 million, more than two per cent higher than last year.
StatsCan notes a stong demand for hogs in the U.S., citing inventories south of the border had reached their highest level in over 50 years.
Hog slaughter in the States was one per cent higher in the first six months of this year than it was a year ago.
The statistics show Canadian farmers had 1.4 million dairy cows and heifers on their farms, up nearly half a per cent from last year.
Cattle producers also retained more breeding stock, jumping 4.5 per cent from 2015.
The inventory of calves recorded on July 1st was 4.3 million. The nearly four percent boost was the first year-over-year increase since 2005.
StatsCan says slaughtered cattle may have increased since last year, but the number exported dropped more than 10 per cent.
