Results of the Canadian Cow-Calf Survey Now Available

The results of the inaugural Canadian Cow-Calf survey are now available online, allowing producers to review best management practices and trends in the sector.

The survey collected data from 600 producers across nine provinces, on the 2022 breeding season through the 2023 weaned calf crop, including reasoning and rationale for some practices.

Survey results will be used to help the Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) prioritize research and extension strategies funded by the research allocation of the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off, to support producers with different types of herds and operations in various regions.

A summary of the findings can be found here.

The BCRC Cow-Calf Production Indicators Calculator has been updated so producers can compare their own production numbers against industry targets and the latest regional benchmarks to highlight opportunities for improvement. 

Keep an eye out for the new Adoption Rates of Recommended Practices by Cow-Calf Operators in Canada report in Spring 2025. Like the last one published in 2019, it will provide more information on trends and substantial changes in production practices and performance measures over time, through a comprehensive review of available data from various sources.

Comparing results to the stats in the 2019 Adoption Rates Report, increased Best Management Practices (BMPs) can be seen in several areas, including an increase in low-stress weaning, pregnancy checking, feed testing and ration balancing, body condition scoring and management, and pain mitigation during castration and dehorning.

You can download the view the full report here.