May 6, 2009

Canada's XL Foods will close its beef slaughtering plant in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, until September 28 due to a lack of cull cows and fed cattle.

Supplies of cull cows and fed cattle have recently dropped to the levels that is not possible to effectively operate the plant, said XL, adding that US slaughter plants are subject to the stringent feed ban and specified risk material (SRM) regulations in Canada.

The plant has a capacity of 1,000 head per day. XL said it will continue to be an aggressive competitor in the Saskatchewan and Manitoba market place for cull cows and fed cattle for its plants in Alberta and the US.

The plant is the only beef slaughtering facility in Saskatchewan, and the closure eliminated 200 jobs.

XL Foods Inc. is the largest Canadian owned and operated beef processor in Canada. The company operates facilities in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nebraska and Idaho.