About 550 pork producers across Canada will have the opportunity for a higher reimbursement for feed costs as they await participation in the country’s Federal Cull Breeding Swine Program. The program offers producers who agree to de-populate breeding barns and leave them empty of breeding stock for a minimum of three years $225 per culled animal.
As part of the program, producers also quality for a feed allowance to help offset the cost of feeding designated animals awaiting slaughter. Initially, the allowance given for feed was 15 days, but facing the reality of moving animals to market under a new program, the nation’s agriculture department has moved the allowance up to 30 days.
Approximately 120,000 sows or about 8 percent of the national breeding herd, are expected to be culled under the program, just short of the goal of 10 percent.
