Latest Newsletter

Dairy — page 14

Diego Nobrega, an assistant professor at the University of Calgary says artificial intelligence will have impacts on dairy farming, but farmers should be careful of automated advice.
Barns, Dairy, Livestock, Milking equipment

AUDIO: AI for AI

Artificial intelligence can help dairy decision making, but make sure to check for accuracy

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The use of artificial intelligence tools in farming is expected to grow quickly in the next five years, automating and enhancing decision making for farmers. At this point, however, most of the artificial intelligence (AI) uses are arriving around the edges of technologies farmers use, and are coming in the form of delivering answers to […] Read more
Gery Schrijver, right, of Alberta, Cox Wensink of Ontario and Phillip Vroegh of Nova Scotia were on a dairy producer panel at the 2024 Progressive Dairy Operators symposium.
Dairy, News

Three dairies, three approaches: Land and people are the priorities, say dairy farmers

Large dairy farms find numerous ways to fill labour needs and manage costs

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Dairy farmers who want to expand must first get land and people in place. That was a common theme from a cross-country panel of leading dairy farmers at the recent Progressive Dairy Operators triennial conference in Toronto. Gert Schrijver farms in Stettler, Alta., milking about 300 cows on 1,700 acres. He plans to build a […] Read more
Corn silage quality was definitely a hot topic of conversation this year, says Grand Valley Fortifiers ruminant nutritionist Jeff Vandendool.
Dairy, Forage and crops, Livestock

Effects of wet corn growing season harm feed quantity, quality

Low starch and silage heating have both been observed

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As dairy farmers in Ontario and Quebec work through winter stocks of corn silage, a number of weather-related factors from the summer and fall of 2023 have turned up as potential causes for concern. Wet and overcast weather – in some locations of the record-breaking variety – was persistent from late June through November across […] Read more
Four of Becky and Bill Gordon’s six children wanted to farm on the property near Thedford. Involved at the farm are Michael Gordon, left, Jennifer Gordon, Becky and Bill Gordon, Erin Gordon and Samuel Gordon.
Dairy, Livestock

VIDEO: Gordon dairy expands operation, and family participation

The Gordon family has brought four children into the operation with one new barn

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Four family members were interested in continuing the dairy farm, so the Gordon family had a decision to make. Some dairy farm families work to establish each child with their own farm, and others, like the Gordons, decide to work together in one large facility. Why it matters: Farms continue to fine-tune the workings of […] Read more
No simple solutions for SNF surplus
Barns, Dairy, Livestock, Milking equipment

No simple solutions for SNF surplus

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Effective solutions for dealing with the surplus of solids-not-fat (SNF) in the Canadian dairy processing sector will not be simple no matter how big or small the processors are, Université Laval assistant professor Dr. Julien Chamberland told attendees of the recent Southwestern Ontario Dairy Symposium. Chamberland, the university’s teaching leadership chair in cheese technology, explained […] Read more
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
Lochdale Holsteins of Alexandria, Ont. was third nationally in Lactanet's 2023 awards. The farm is run by David, Anne Marie and Andrew MacMillan.
Dairy, Genetics, Milking equipment, News

Lochdale Holsteins third in Lactanet dairy performance awards

The Alexandria-area farm was the top Ontario herd, with five of the top 10 from the province

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An Ontario farm had the third highest dairy herd performance index in Lactanet’s annual national awards. Lochdale Holsteins, of Alexandria, Ont., had a score of 969. The farm is owned by David, Anne Marie and Andrew MacMillan. They milk 78 cows in a pipeline system. Lactanet is the national herd recording and dairy farm data […] Read more
Calves fed colostrum for longer have higher weight gain than those feed minimal colostrum.
Calf health, Dairy

Extended colostrum feeding can improve calf health

Calves fed colostrum for up to 14 days after birth had better weight gain and reduced disease

This was first published by Dairy at Guelph. Feeding enough high-quality colostrum soon after birth is critical for calf health and has long-term effects on their performance. But could there be benefits of feeding colostrum after passive transfer of antibodies is expected to occur? That’s what a recent study by Prof. Michael Steele and MSc. […] Read more

Cyber-Savvy Farmer

Glacier Farmmedia Podcast