Latest Newsletter

Barns — page 3

Ontario dairy farmers continue to reduce the minutes spent managing each cow per day as they adopt more technology.
Barns, Dairy, Livestock, Milking equipment

Dairy wages lag other farms

Survey shows that average labour time per cow continues to drop

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Dairy farmers continue to increase wages paid to employees, but the rate isn’t keeping up with other agriculture sectors. A survey is conducted by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Progressive Dairy Operators (PDO) every three years on labour trends in the dairy sector. Why it matters: Labour costs have […] Read more
Cows are brought to multiple robotic milking machines as part of a batch milking system in Texas.
Barns, Dairy, Livestock, Milking equipment

Batch milking combines parlour facility with automation of robots

The system can save labour and milk large numbers of cows

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A new concept in dairy equipment management brings the automation and data of robotic milking to a milking parlour orientation. DeLaval has several installations around the world where cows are herded into a holding area from which they access a group of automated milkers. Why it matters: The company says VMS batch milking is designed […] Read more
Sandra Verville, Carl Desrochers, Marianne Desrochers, and Mikael Dumas in their new barn.
Barns, Cow health

Cows managed precisely in new robot milking barn

Cows can be sorted in five different directions out of the robot

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A change in generations mean the building of a new barn, robotic milking and new way of working at Ferme Desnette. On Oct. 20, 1200 people attended the open house at the farm in Warwick, Que. Owners Marianne Desrochers, Mikael Dumas, Carl Desrochers, and Sandra Verville met with visitors and showed off their new barn, […] Read more
The FeedFlo feed sensor is working in scores of barns in the U.S. hog belt, where it accurately measures whether feed is flowing to pens in the barn and notifies producers if something goes wrong at the bin, in the pipes or with the pigs themselves.
Barns, Livestock

Tech simplifies hog feed monitoring to reduce down time

FeedFlo system monitors feed pipes to ensure feed is flowing

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Glacier FarmMedia – Successful technology often arises from figuring out how to simplify something that’s exceedingly complex. That’s what Casey Forsyth and his team at FeedFlo think they’ve managed to do with their feed pipe monitoring system. Their model is working in scores of barns in the U.S. hog belt, where it accurately measures whether […] Read more
CATTLEytics is developing a new herd management app called ‘Milkshake’.
Barns, Cow health, Dairy, News

A Canadian option for managing dairy data

A new herd health record-keeping app will join CATTLEytics ‘Moo To Do’

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CATTLEytics is creating a dairy data software program designed to streamline barn management regardless of operation size. Data is generated to various degrees on many farms, ostensibly to help farmers make decisions. However, the journey to those answers often needs clarification. Why it matters: Data from sensors is becoming more available to many Ontario dairy […] Read more
McKenna Morrison, at the podium says the Ontario Dairy Herd Apprenticeship Program has taught her skills she is applying to her job at a dairy farm near Thedford.
Barns, Dairy, Livestock

Virtual option expands dairy apprenticeship reach

Travel time had limited access to the program for those far from Ridgetown

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Ontario’s Dairy Herd Apprenticeship Program is creating a virtual option, which should allow more people to take the Ridgetown-based program. The apprenticeship program gives students practical knowledge that can immediately be put to work on dairy farms. The program is based at the Ridgetown Campus of the University of Guelph, and that location in southern […] Read more
A new guide for dairy farmer climate best practices has been created.
Barns, Cow health, Dairy, Forage and crops, Livestock, News, Nutrition

Canadian dairy carbon-neutral guidebook released

Kitchen table meetings may be the next step for the introduction of the guide to farmers

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There are no financial incentives and the adoption of practices isn’t mandatory to continue shipping milk, but Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) insists there are strong reasons why the country’s milk producers should get on board with a just-published Best Management Practices Guide to Mitigate Emissions on Dairy Farms.  The new document forms the cornerstone […] Read more
The new barn is 722 ft long by 142 ft wide. The barn is divided into two parts which mirror each other.
Barns, Milking equipment

PHOTOS: A virtual tour of Comestar Farm

The internationally renowned farm has a new barn, with a new focus on milk production

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Of all the dairy farms in Quebec, Comestar Holstein in Victoriaville is the most recognized throughout the world. Today, with a new generation taking up the farm, a new chapter is beginning. And what better than the construction of a new barn to mark this new stage? May 20, 2003 marked a turning point in […] Read more
The Aquastar mattress has a 1.5-inch latex memory foam layer at its base, with a single chamber that ensures none of the cow’s body is in contact with a hard surface. The kneeboard, called the Aquaboard, is also water-filled.
Barns

Cow mattress has cooling potential

Single-chamber waterbed uses conductive energy to keep cows cooler

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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

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