Shortage of cattle behind recent jump in beef prices, industry says

The shrinking size of Canadian cattle herds means consumers are being forced to dig a bit deeper into their pockets when they visit their local butcher shop.

If you’re a fan of Canadian beef, you’ve probably noticed that juicy steak on your plate has forced you to dig deeper into your pocket to pay for these days.

That’s because, according to industry insiders,  the size of the cattle herds in this country is at a 40-year low.

“There’s a lack of cattle in the industry, so there’s a bit of a shortage which is going to cause that bump in price,” said Brandon Ball, butcher and owner of Brant Lake Wagu in Calgary.

It’s a case of “supply and demand,” said Ball.  “It’s pretty much everything across the board.”

Describing his business as “a complete pasture to plate program — we own the animals, we feed them, we process them,” Ball’s butcher shop offers everything from a $10 to a $200 steak.

Ball said the shortage of cattle is forcing butchers to utilize every part of the animal.

“We’re finding different muscles that have different uses, different tendernesses — anywhere from your typical rib eye, strip loin, tenderloin, we have some unique cuts like picanha, bavete steak, denver steak, zabuton,” Ball said.

“There’s a lot of steaks that customers have never tried before.”