Reading Time: 2 minutes In Europe, it’s ryegrass. On the Prairies, it’s barley. In areas where either climate or pesticide resistance makes it impractical to grow corn, livestock producers nonetheless achieve good gains or high milk production. And, during a recent session hosted by OMAFRA, crop and livestock specialists encouraged Ontario’s livestock producers to consider rotating away from corn […] Read more
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Silage options to rotate away from corn
Ryegrass, triticale, sorghum species all have potential to help avoid corn-on-corn rotations
Rothsay increases deadstock pickup fees
Reading Time: < 1 minute Rothsay, one of the largest deadstock pickup services in the province, increased its prices Dec. 14. A letter from Rothsay to regular customers explained that, effective Dec. 14, on-farm pickup on weekdays would increase to $50 per stop, and $65 per stop for calls on Fridays. Previously, prices were closer to $20 per pickup and […] Read more
Relationships crucial for farm-to-farm cover crop grazing
Neighboring farmers find mutual benefit in livestock grazing, farming arrangement
Reading Time: 4 minutes There’s opportunity for the grazing of cover crops, whether it’s livestock farmers using their own cropland and animals, or offering services to cash-cropping neighbours. That was the overarching message delivered over three successive Tuesday evening Zoom meetings, hosted through November by the Cover Crop Grazing Committee — a collaboration between OMAFRA, Beef Farmers of Ontario, […] Read more
Group housing gives insight into tailored calf diets
Partnered calves had greater dry matter consumption than singles
Reading Time: 3 minutes Group housing may be the most cost-effective option for tailoring calf nutrition to stage of growth. Why it matters: The veal and dairy industries continue to weigh the pros and cons of individual versus group calf housing, and studies could tip the scales toward group housing. Attendees at the virtual edition of the Healthy Calf […] Read more
Equipment dealers raise concerns over European imports
There are risks to buying imported equipment including a lack of warranty
Reading Time: 3 minutes Ontario farm equipment dealers are warning farmers to do their homework before buying equipment that has been imported from Europe because any savings on the purchase price could evaporate as soon as it needs repair. Licensed retail dealers, represented through the Canada East Equipment Dealers Association (CEEDA), however, believe there are strong reasons for farmers […] Read more
Ottawa research farm focuses on technology
Invest Ottawa aims to link agriculture with national capital tech sector
Reading Time: 3 minutes A new innovation cluster on a former research farm in Nepean, Ont., is expected to boost artificial intelligence (AI) and remote-sensing technology to Canada’s farmers. “I’m not even a farmer, and I’m really excited about it,” said Michael Tremblay, chief executive officer of Invest Ottawa. Why it matters: Having access to made-in-Canada offerings of data […] Read more
Major dairy breeds moving to composites for bull proofs
Use of genetic scores makes new model more responsive to changes in the dairy population
Reading Time: 3 minutes Lactanet Canada will move to composite indexes for major genetic traits as early as April, 2021 as it aims for a more responsive system for classifying dairy cattle. The change will affect breeders of Holstein, Ayrshire and Jersey cattle, while other dairy breeds will continue to be scored using the existing formula for combining descriptive […] Read more
Dairy trait feet and legs will be split in two
New traits foot and mobility to be added to dairy classification
Reading Time: 2 minutes Canadian dairy farmers will soon see a new, first in the world, change to the way cow feet and legs are classified. The feet and legs category, which has been in used since 1927, will become foot and mobility. Stakeholders in the dairy breeding sector were advised of the pending change in April and the […] Read more
VFO takes ‘next step’ by hiring compliance officer
Former police officer will target non-payment of veal checkoff fee
Former police officer will target non-payment of veal checkoff fee
Reading Time: 2 minutes Veal Farmers of Ontario (VFO) has hired a veteran of both municipal policing and border services for a newly-created position of inspection and compliance officer. The organization is acting on a recommendation to bring in expertise in auditing and compliance. Geoff Holwell will join the producer organization on a part-time basis, with his primary responsibilities […] Read more
Twenty-five farms host on-farm soil health research
The ONFARM initiative brings together diverse industry cooperators
Reading Time: 3 minutes A four-year federal-provincial agreement to fund a series of field-scale soil health research projects is underway across southern Ontario. In all, 25 co-operator farmers have taken on side-by-side plots at which a focus will be placed on either cover cropping, tillage, organic amendment application or some combination. At seven other locations, described by Ontario Soil […] Read more
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