Michael Barrett, CEO of Gay Lea Foods, will retire early next year and he predicts bright futures both for the producer co-operative and the Canadian dairy sector. Barrett’s successor beginning to ease into her role as the CEO of the 1,400 member dairy producer co-operative on Oct. 31. “I’m not only confident there’s a future […] Read more
Retiring CEO sees bright future for Gay Lea co-op
Michael Barrett oversaw company’s expansion into goats and other provinces
Dairy sustainability lead has high hopes for 2050 emission goals
New DFC recruit previously worked with Canadian Cattle Association
Fawn Jackson recalls a message she heard from forestry and fishery stakeholders when she moved into her previous role as executive director of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. “Get ahead of it, or else you’ll end up struggling to catch up from behind.” Why it matters: On-farm practices developed to meet DFC’s goals may […] Read more
Test plot measures effects of grazing in crop rotation
Groot family’s Wholesome Pastures is part of Living Labs study
Staff at the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) have good-naturedly described the research plot on Mike Groot’s Crediton-area farm as “crazy strips.” Groot is hoping the soil quality data it gathers will eventually show that including pasture in a cash crop rotation isn’t crazy at all. He has an ally in Christine O’Reilly, […] Read more
Livestock monitoring start-up targets Ontario market
OneCup AI moves from facial recognition to full-body ID
A western Canadian company specializing in livestock monitoring has increased its offering to farmers as the affordability and effectiveness of artificial intelligence has improved. At the recent Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show (COFS) in Woodstock, OneCup AI announced its newest achievement: facial identification for poultry. CEO Mokah Shmigelsky used news of the poultry innovation to draw […] Read more
Turning dairy into beef: Shaking up supply chains
Different approaches are needed to capitalize on the value of dairy-beef crossbreds
The revolutionary ramifications of breeding beef genetics to dairy cows are remaking supply chains. That brings new opportunities and challenges. The University of Guelph’s Dr. Michael Steele got the attention of attendees at the recent Dairy Cattle Industry Forum when he showed a line of antibiotic treatments used at one farm that raises weaned dairy […] Read more
Cow mattress has cooling potential
Single-chamber waterbed uses conductive energy to keep cows cooler
Holstein heifers at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show (COFS) had the comfort of new waterbeds which, according to manufacturer Bioret, allow the animals’ body heat to dissipate more effectively than other bedding or surfaces in the industry. Why it matters: With Ontario’s hot summers, heat stress in dairy cattle has the potential to impact milk yield […] Read more
New biodigester project aims to use corn stover
Three on-farm digesters are part of a project from B.C. and Ontario investors
An Ontario project aims to use corn stover to feed biodigesters, forming a new market and use for corn stalks. EverGen, a British Columbia-based renewable energy company, has committed $1.5 million to help kickstart three southern Ontario on-farm biodigesters as part of a recently announced partnership deal called Project Radius. Why it matters: Farms who […] Read more
Pasture knowledge refined to reflect Ontario’s climate
University of Guelph, OMAFRA research uses rising plate meters to accurately measure pasture yield
A team of researchers aims to fine-tune recommendations for rotational grazing in Ontario and a key piece of that research is a tool called a rising plate meter. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) forage and grazing specialist Christine O’Reilly outlined use of the rising plate meter during a plot tour Sept. […] Read more
Combine concaves and sieves often culprits in grain loss
Calibration clinic at farm show keeps grain in the bin
Fresh from a visit to advise Foam Lake, Sask. crop farmer Dickson Delorme – a.k.a. Quick Dick McDick of ag-themed YouTube fame – about grain loss from his combines, Kris Kristjanson joined fellow representatives of the Bushel Plus company at the recent Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show (COFS) at Woodstock. The flagship product of the company, […] Read more
The next incarnation for dairy disease resistance
Immunity+ traits from Semex are now incorporated into genetic indices, with broad application across the herd
Dairy customers of Semex now have a more in-depth decision to make if they aim to increase the resistance of their herd to disease, thanks to an updated version of the Canadian bovine genetics provider’s Immunity+ program. Until now, Semex bulls have been listed as either having Immunity traits or not. In the company’s recently […] Read more
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