The Manitoba Advantage in Pork Protein

Manitoba has extensive expertise and infrastructure to support competitive pork production. Manitoba is home to numerous service companies that offer expertise and knowledge in herd management, animal health and marketing. 

Rural Manitoba has many locations where hog operations can be built and offer a good supply of locally-grown grains. There is also demand for hog manure as a valuable fertilizer in these regions. The low density of pigs in most regions of the province helps to maintain biosecurity and the high health status of the provincial swine herd. 

Farms can also take advantage of low cost, sustainably produced hydro electricity. Moreover, bacon produced in Manitoba is a premium product, because the barley-based diet fed on prairie farms results in bacon with a firmer white fat compared to the soft, orange-coloured fat when corn diets are fed.

The province has seen significant investment in both primary production and further processing facilities.

 

 

Manitoba’s Pork Industry

The hog sector is the second most valuable commodity in the province. There are 595 hog farms in Manitoba, producing 8.2 million pigs in 2020. The average herd size of over 5,000 head per farm represents the largest-sized pig farms in Canada.

About 73 per cent of hog operations in Manitoba are farrow to finish, with barns separated by operation type for biosecurity reasons.

Farm cash receipts for hogs increased by 5.9 per cent to $1.05 billion from 2016, representing 45.8 per cent of the total livestock farm cash receipts in Manitoba.

Manitoba's hog prices were 8.2 per cent low in 2020 compared to 2019 while marketings increased 4.9 per cent. Processing and international exports increased 5.6 per cent and 8 per cent, respectively, in 2020. During the first quarter of 2020, a 2.7 per cent increase in marketings and a 0.4 per cent increase in prices resulted in 2020 Q1 receipts 5.1 per cent higher at $262 million.

There were 4 Federally Inspected processing plants and 22 Provincially Inspected plants harvesting hogs in 2020. 

There were over 3,000 head of wild boar processed in Manitoba plants.

• Pork Sector Profile
• Pork Production

Federally Licensed Processors:

• Maple Leaf Foods
• HyLife
• Winkler Meats
• Country Meat  
• Provincially Licensed Abattoirs

Industry Associations:

• Manitoba Pork
• Canadian Pork Council

Market and Consumer Trends

Approximately 50 per cent of all Canadian pork is further processed into cooked and cured products. 

Competitive pork prices and advanced-processing technology have resulted in an efficient production of bacon, ham and sausage products.

There are export opportunities for pork, particularly in Asian markets. In addition, there are strong market access conditions, with new trade agreements such as Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Research

The University of Manitoba and its Glenlea Research Station have swine-research facilities.

Researchers at the university have extensive publications in the field of swine nutrition, including antibiotic alternatives, feed enzymes, evaluation of feed ingredients and digestive physiology. The importance of pig housing and management on productivity and animal welfare has been highlighted in numerous research initiatives.

The Glenlea Research Station is home to the Bruce D. Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre. The centre demonstrates how food is raised from the farm to the kitchen plate.The centre demonstrates how food is raised from the farm to the kitchen plate. A viewing area for visitors exhibits a day in the life of a pig.

Contact

Email: Manitoba Agriculture