Day 28
I find that people quote statistical averages far too often, not knowing just how misleading averages can be. For example, a friend of mine (www.colinboorman.ca) recently wrote an article defending beef production and consumption in Canada; included in his points was the statistic that the average Canadian cattle farm carries 53 cattle.
The seemingly obvious conclusion is that Canadian cattle farms are, on the whole, smaller, probably family-owned, and distinctly not massive corporate-owned factory-style feedlots; this is precisely the conclusion that my friend drew.
But hold on a second! I want to note that this may be entirely false, in spite of the average. The flaw that people commit quite often is the confusion between an average number, and a commonly occurring number. Often times, the average can be lifted or lowered by odd extremes, which I bet is very much the case with respect to factory farms in Canada.
For example: Imagine a community of 1000 people. Let us say that 990 (99%) of these people are living in poverty, each bringing in a meager $1000 per year, while the remaining 10 (1%) are very rich, each bringing in a full 10 million dollars each year. Clearly, this is not a rich town; in fact, it is an extremely poor town with a few very rich people living in it.
The town's average income: 10 x 10,000,000 = 100,000,000
+ 990 x 1000 = 990,000
So, $100,990,000 dollars per year total, divided by 1000 people, equals an average yearly income of:
$100,990 per year, per person.
Using this average, and nothing more, I could go up to you and talk about this town with an average income of over 100 grand, which while accurate, is extremely deceptive.
Now, whether my friend's number is anywhere near representative of the actual situation with cattle production in Canada, I simply do not know. It may be, but it also may be otherwise... perhaps of a great many farms, most supply very small amounts of cattle, while the vast majority of cattle are supplied by a few extremely large factory farms, thus leading to a rather quaint sounding average similar to the example situation above.
What I did find out, however, according to the Atlas of Canada (online), is that nearly 75 percent of all beef cattle in Canada are "processed" (ie. slaughtered, sliced up, and packaged) in only four slaughterhouse/packaging facilities. So, however they're grown, they're highly concentrated in numbers by the time they get decapitated, and large corporations are clearly at the helm of it all.
Anyway, I suppose the lesson here is to be very weary when people give you averages as arguments.
The seemingly obvious conclusion is that Canadian cattle farms are, on the whole, smaller, probably family-owned, and distinctly not massive corporate-owned factory-style feedlots; this is precisely the conclusion that my friend drew.
But hold on a second! I want to note that this may be entirely false, in spite of the average. The flaw that people commit quite often is the confusion between an average number, and a commonly occurring number. Often times, the average can be lifted or lowered by odd extremes, which I bet is very much the case with respect to factory farms in Canada.
For example: Imagine a community of 1000 people. Let us say that 990 (99%) of these people are living in poverty, each bringing in a meager $1000 per year, while the remaining 10 (1%) are very rich, each bringing in a full 10 million dollars each year. Clearly, this is not a rich town; in fact, it is an extremely poor town with a few very rich people living in it.
The town's average income: 10 x 10,000,000 = 100,000,000
+ 990 x 1000 = 990,000
So, $100,990,000 dollars per year total, divided by 1000 people, equals an average yearly income of:
$100,990 per year, per person.
Using this average, and nothing more, I could go up to you and talk about this town with an average income of over 100 grand, which while accurate, is extremely deceptive.
Now, whether my friend's number is anywhere near representative of the actual situation with cattle production in Canada, I simply do not know. It may be, but it also may be otherwise... perhaps of a great many farms, most supply very small amounts of cattle, while the vast majority of cattle are supplied by a few extremely large factory farms, thus leading to a rather quaint sounding average similar to the example situation above.
What I did find out, however, according to the Atlas of Canada (online), is that nearly 75 percent of all beef cattle in Canada are "processed" (ie. slaughtered, sliced up, and packaged) in only four slaughterhouse/packaging facilities. So, however they're grown, they're highly concentrated in numbers by the time they get decapitated, and large corporations are clearly at the helm of it all.
Anyway, I suppose the lesson here is to be very weary when people give you averages as arguments.
Comments
Following the 'country/average income' example, which is very correct in pointing out how averages can be skewed, let's apply it to the Canadian cow herd size average. I take what you are saying is that the vast majority of Canadian cattle farms are VERY small, (say, 10 cows, but any number significantly smaller than 53 will do) while a very small number of cattle farms are large feed-lot operations housing thousands of cows. In this scenario, which may very well be true, the number of cattle in the statistical average would then go up, making it appear under false assumption that the large majority of small cattle farms with only 10 cattle actually have a more substantial 53 cattle. I agree with you on this point.
“The seemingly obvious conclusion is that Canadian cattle farms are, on the whole, smaller, probably family-owned, and distinctly not massive corporate-owned factory-style feedlots; this is precisely the conclusion that my friend drew”
But it seems that your example seems to even further prove the conclusion you are trying to dispute: On the whole, the vast majority of Canadian cattle farms ARE small family-owned operations. Averages are quite likely skewed making tiny cattle farms look larger, but the example exemplifies the statistic that Canadian cattle farms, are, on the whole, small family-run operations.
On the other hand, this proposal would easily form the conclusion that the majority of Canadian Cattle are raised at large feed-lot type of facilities, which, as stated at the top of your blog post, was not a conclusion I disputed at my blog: www.colinboorman.ca.
Stats on Canadian cattle farms:
-65% of the farms have 24% of the beef cows (and each of these farms has less than 47 cows)
- 25% of the farms have 36% of the beef cows (47-122 cows)
-10% of the farms have 40% of the beef cows (each has over 122 cows)
Link: http://www.cattle.guelph.on.ca/kids_cattle/fastfacts_print.html
From these stats we must conclude that the majority of Canadian cattle (60%) are raised on farms with no more than 122 cows. This size of cattle farm, as is the case of my friend’s farm in Saskatchewan, can be managed and maintained successfully on a one-family farm, not owned by a large corporation.
In 2004 Stats Canada released the statistic that 89% of beef that Canadians consumed was Canadian beef.
Link: http://www.cattlemen.bc.ca/statistics.htm
Cattle slaughtering facilities facilitate the needs of cattle farmers on an individual basis, as cattle reach a specific weight (or a number derived similar to humans’ Body Mass Index). These cattle are arranged to be brought to these facilities by farmers, who are either paid a specific amount per cow based on the weight or BMA, or pay a fee for the cow to be slaughtered and returned to them, possibly for personal consumption or distribution.
The vast majority of slaughtered cattle are sent for large-scale distribution to butchers and venders alike via a consortium or association of cattle farmers to cost-effectively distribute the beef if they don’t intend to sell or distribute their beef personally. This accurately mirrors the model of agricultural distribution most prominent in Canada in the grain industry as well as other distribution methods for fruit/veggies from foreign countries. While grain is distributed by a consortium that represents all sizes of growing/breeding facilities, all products amalgamate eventually for distribution. Not to say that the majority of individual beef cuts come from multiple cattle (beef cuts packaged by slaughter houses are often delivered to butchers in much-larger intact cuts than we consumers buy – Safeway and Butchers often cut and package the meat themselves for consumer purchase), although, I would suppose that all-bets-are-off when it comes to sausage meats and hot dogs. Organic beef also is kept separate and not mixed with non-organic beef in order for a label to accurately read ‘certified organic’.