Three members were appointed to the Dairy Farmers of Ontario board of directors by acclamation at the organization’s regular board meeting on Sept. 25, 2024. The following members were elected: […] Read more
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Dairy Farmers of Ontario appoints three new board members
Why group calf housing continues to grow
Labour efficiency, strong growth and socialization are reasons why farmers choose group housing of calves
More dairy farms are turning to group housing. In this second article on housing young calves, how group housing is working on farms. (Read the first article here)The content of […] Read more
Managing cross ventilation with the right baffles
Adding baffles meant removal of two large cross ventilation fans at this farm
After a summer in their new barn with cross ventilation, Mathieu Larose and Nancy Clouâtre of Ferme Laroselait in Verchères installed canvass baffles in 2020 to force air down onto […] Read more
Dairy cows need to be optimized for resting time
Cows need to lie down for 12 hours to maximize milk production
The message often conveyed in terms of animal welfare is that dairy cows need to be given more resting time. According to researcher Nigel Cook, we should instead seek to […] Read more
Cattle virtual fence provides management options
Ontario farm is managing two groups of cattle with the new system
[Updated: June 11, 2024] Jenny Butcher and Wes Kuntz were like many livestock farmers and faced the costly prospect of rebuilding fences. One of the areas that needed work was […] Read more
Starbucks sweetens pot for FCC sustainability program
Coffee giant to support ‘top achievers’ and ‘most improved’
Starbucks has joined Farm Credit Canada in its Dairy Sustainability Incentive Program, which offers Canadian dairy farmers interest rate rebates for sustainability initiatives. Why it matters: Starbucks says milk products […] Read more
Moisture management is key in compost-pack barns
Compost barns could be a transition option for those who now milk in tie stalls
Compost bedding packs that get too wet can be bad news and result in problems with slower composting, milk quality and the need to add more bedding. Those are findings […] Read more
Make your dairy processes lean and clean
Stopping and observing are the first steps to efficiency
Dairy farmers work through similar processes every day, but taking another look at ordinary tasks can yield significant time and financial savings. Process evaluation has many names, including lean, Kaizan […] Read more
Diversifying dairy means more than milking
Here’s how four dairy farms grew their businesses beyond milk production
Farmers who diversify their dairy operations can make it work with luck, great planning and a willingness to take risks. The Canadian Dairy XPO’s new Canadian Dairy Business Conference brought […] Read more
Dairy management changes may offer answers to butterfat equation
With feed additive, analyze the numbers to see if it pays
Enhancing ventilation may be one of the most cost-effective ways to increase butterfat content in a herd’s milk over the long term instead of using feed additives, according to two […] Read more
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