To gauge Alberta's performance, comparative data and information are available for Canada and the provinces. Statistics Canada releases, on a quarterly basis, inventory estimates for hogs on farms in Canada and the Provinces. Determination of the provincial inventory estimates is a joint undertaking with the provinces. The process involves a federal Statistics Canada survey of hogs on farms at October 1, and each province working through and verifying their respective supply and disposition balance sheets, to arrive at inventory or ending stock estimates. Also, the estimates tend to be directly keyed to the federal survey.
Administrative data is used where available in the verification process.
However, data is not always timely. Therefore, some forecasting or imputations are often required to complement the process. Hence, estimates remain subject to revision until final data becomes available. General Comment Nationally, it appears that pig numbers on farms have stabilized. Declining pig inventories were also typical of all provinces, with the exception of Saskatchewan and Manitoba.