This report presents harvest quality data and production statistics for western Canadian oats grown in 2023. Oat samples were submitted to the Canadian Grain Commission’s Harvest Sample Program by producers. Quality data is compiled from the results of analytical tests performed in the Grain Research Laboratory.
The annual oats survey is based on samples of oats received by the Canadian Grain Commission’s Harvest Sample Program. In 2023, 174 samples were received from various growing districts in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia (Figure 1). The majority of samples received in 2023 were graded No. 2 Canada Western (CW) based on their test weight (Figure 2). The protein content of oats in 2023 was close to the 5-year average for each grade (Figure 3). A comparison of the average protein content (%, dry basis) of oats grown in each province in 2023 is given in Figure 4.
Figure 1 Origin and number of oat samples collected through the Canadian Grain Commission’s Harvest Sample Program in 2023.
Figure description
Map of western Canada with dots showing the origin and number of oat samples received in 2023. Fifty-one samples came from southern Manitoba, 79 from southern and central Saskatchewan, 43 from Alberta and 7 from northeastern British Columbia.
Figure 2 Comparison of test weight (kg/hL) ranges of oat samples collected through the Canadian Grain Commission’s Harvest Sample Program from 2019 to 2023. The number of samples for each year is in parentheses.
Graph data
The boxes in the graph show the range of test weight values in the middle 50% of the analyzed samples. Quartiles and means are represented by boxes and horizontal lines, respectively. Whiskers extend to the maximum and minimum values.
Test weight (kg/hL)
Year
Weighted average
2019
55.2
2020
54.2
2021
51.8
2022
54.1
2023
54.1
Figure 3 Average protein contentFootnote 1 of oats of different grades collected through the Canadian Grain Commission’s Harvest Sample Program for each year from 2018 to 2023.
Graph data
Protein content (%, db)
Year
No. 1 CW
No. 2 CW
No. 3 CW
2018
12.1
12.2
12.1
2019
11.3
11.8
11.5
2020
11.2
11.8
11.9
2021
12.7
13.3
13.2
2022
11.7
11.9
11.9
2023
11.8
12.2
12.0
5-year average
11.8
12.2
12.1
Figure 4 Comparison of average protein contentFootnote 1 (%, db) of oats grown in different provinces in 2023. The number of samples for each grade is in parentheses.
Graph data
Alberta
Grade
No. of samples
Protein content (%, db)
SD
No. 1 CW
7
11.0
0.7
No. 2 CW
23
11.6
1.3
No. 3 CW
9
11.6
1.0
Saskatchewan
Grade
No. of samples
Protein content (%, db)
SD
No. 1 CW
13
12.0
1.2
No. 2 CW
33
12.2
1.2
No. 3 CW
16
11.9
1.1
Manitoba
Grade
No. of samples
Protein content (%, db)
SD
No. 1 CW
5
12.8
1.1
No. 2 CW
18
12.8
1.2
No. 3 CW
19
12.3
1.2
Table 1 Protein content (%, db) and test weight (kg/hL) of oat varieties collected through the Canadian Grain Commission’s Harvest Sample Program in 2023
Table 2 Percentage of samples containing different levels of deoxynivalenol (DON) (ppm) for all grades of oats collected through the Canadian Grain Commission’s Harvest Sample Program in 2023 (n = number of samples)
Deoxynivalenol (DON) level
Western Canada (n = 192)
British Columbia (n = 4)
Alberta (n = 46)
Saskatchewan (n = 89)
Manitoba (n = 53)
Below Limit (< 0.3 ppm)
65.1
50.0
73.9
60.7
66.0
0.3 to 0.5
24.5
50.0
26.1
21.3
26.4
0.6 to 1.0
7.3
0
0
12.4
5.7
1.1 to 2.0
3.1
0
0
5.6
1.9
2.1 to 5.0
0
0
0
0
0
5.1 to 6.0
0
0
0
0
0
Above limit (> 6.0 ppm)
0
0
0
0
0
Content of proteins, beta-glucans, lipids, and ash in groats of selected oat varieties grown in 2023
Figures 5 to 8 give the content of proteins, beta-glucans, lipids, and ash in the groats of selected oat varieties grown in the Prairies in 2023. The groats were obtained by dehulling. All oat samples were graded No. 2 CW based on their test weight; no other degrading factors were identified in the samples used for dehulling.
Figure 5 Protein content (%, db) in groats obtained after dehulling selected varieties of oats grown in the Prairies in 2023Footnote 2.
Graph data
Groat protein content (%, db)
Variety
Protein content
Souris
13.63
AC Morgan
14.60
CDC Endure
14.89
CDC Arborg
15.60
Summit
15.55
CDC Ruffian
15.75
ORe3542M
16.30
AAC Douglas
16.38
CS Camden
17.17
CDC Boyer
17.16
Figure 6 Beta-glucan content (%, db) of groats obtained after dehulling selected varieties of oats grown in the Prairies in 2023Footnote 2.
Graph data
Groat beta-glucan content (%, db)
Variety
Beta-glucan content
AC Morgan
4.07
CDC Ruffian
4.48
Souris
4.66
Summit
4.56
CS Camden
4.63
ORe3542M
4.70
CDC Arborg
4.94
CDC Endure
5.22
AAC Douglas
5.22
Figure 7 Lipid content (%, db) of groats obtained after dehulling selected varieties of oats grown in the Prairies in 2023Footnote 2.
Graph data
Groat lipid content (%, db)
Variety
Lipid content
CDC Arborg
5.79
ORe3542M
5.90
AC Morgan
5.91
AAC Douglas
6.64
CDC Endure
6.67
CDC Boyer
6.83
CS Camden
6.87
Summit
7.04
Souris
7.10
Figure 8 Ash content (%, db) of groats obtained after dehulling selected varieties of oats grown in the Prairies in 2023Footnote 2.
Graph data
Groat ash content (%, db)
Variety
Ash content
CDC Arborg
1.62
Souris
1.68
ORe3542M
1.69
CDC Endure
1.73
CS Camden
1.74
Summit
1.82
CDC Boyer
1.83
AAC Douglas
1.89
AC Morgan
1.88
Production statistics
Table 3 Area (million hectares) seeded with oats in CanadaFootnote a
Figure 10 Comparison of oat production (million tonnes) in western Canada from 2015 to 2023.
Graph data
Production of oats (million tonnes)
Year
Western Canada
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
2015
2.974
0.393
1.928
0.595
2016
2.903
0.625
1.653
0.569
2017
3.469
0.609
1.989
0.821
2018
3.171
0.700
1.689
0.709
2019
3.901
0.835
2.215
0.794
2020
4.273
0.802
2.296
1.117
2021
2.549
0.547
1.153
0.767
2022
4.857
1.055
2.567
1.169
2023
2.203
0.525
1.000
0.606
Figure 11 Distribution of oat classes as percentage (%) of area seeded with oats in western Canada from 2018 to 2023Footnote 3.
Graph data
% of area seeded with oats
Year
Milling
Feed and Forage
Hulless
Not specified
2018
84.2
7.3
0.2
8.3
2019
84.3
7.7
0.1
8.0
2020
84.4
7.3
0.1
8.1
2021
86.4
7.6
0.0
6.0
2022
86.3
6.9
0.0
6.8
2023
81.6
10.6
0.0
7.8
Figure 12 Distribution of oat classes in each province as percentage (%) of area seeded with oats in western Canada in 2022 and 2023Footnote 3.
2022
2023
Graph data
% of area seeded with oats in western Canada in 2022
Location
Milling
Feed and Forage
Hulless
Not specified
Alberta
16.9
3.9
0.0
0.0
Saskatchewan
42.7
2.0
0.0
6.1
Manitoba
27.1
0.7
0.0
0.5
% of area seeded with oats in western Canada in 2023
Location
Milling
Feed and Forage
Hulless
Not specified
Alberta
18.3
5.7
0.0
0.1
Saskatchewan
35.3
3.7
0.0
6.2
Manitoba
28.0
1.2
0.0
1.5
Figure 13 Comparison of area seeded with the top eight milling oat varieties each year in western Canada from 2016 to 2023. Varieties and their registration dates include: CS Camden (2014), AC Morgan (2000), Summit (2008), ORe3542M (2017), CDC Arborg (2017), Triactor (2007), CDC Endure (2019), AAC Douglas (2019)Footnote 3.
Graph data
% of area seeded with milling oat varieties in western Canada
Year
CS Camden
AC Morgan
Summit
CDC Ruffian
CDC Arborg
Triactor
ORe3542M
CDC Endure
AAC Douglas
2016
7.54
34.50
14.64
0.79
no data
5.82
no data
no data
no data
2017
22.30
24.06
18.31
1.63
no data
7.04
no data
no data
no data
2018
32.26
21.17
18.62
2.06
no data
5.82
0.08
no data
no data
2019
35.50
21.36
19.25
2.41
0.10
3.77
1.29
no data
no data
2020
36.06
19.72
18.12
2.71
4.01
3.53
4.03
0.00
0.01
2021
33.75
19.67
16.78
2.21
10.69
2.06
5.02
1.11
0.08
2022
30.48
21.52
14.29
2.76
13.85
1.69
3.18
4.92
0.63
2023
24.10
20.64
14.83
1.22
15.38
2.35
2.71
7.91
3.23
Figure 14 Area seeded with the top eight milling oat varieties in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba as percentage (%) of area seeded with milling oats in western Canada in 2023Footnote 3.
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Graph data
% of area seeded with milling oats in Alberta
Variety
Area seeded
CS Camden
2.81
AC Morgan
14.30
CDC Arborg
2.33
Summit
0.00
CDC Endure
0.40
AAC Douglas
0.04
ORe3542M
0.81
Triactor
0.00
% of area seeded with milling oats in Saskatchewan
Variety
Area seeded
CS Camden
12.99
AC Morgan
6.00
CDC Arborg
10.29
Summit
3.07
CDC Endure
3.02
AAC Douglas
0.00
ORe3542M
0.51
Triactor
2.35
% of area seeded with milling oats in Manitoba
Variety
Area seeded
CS Camden
8.33
AC Morgan
0.33
CDC Arborg
2.76
Summit
11.77
CDC Endure
4.48
AAC Douglas
3.19
ORe3542M
1.38
Triactor
0.00
Table 5 Distribution of milling oat varieties as a percentage (%) of the total area seeded with milling oats in western Canada in 2023Footnote 3
