Reuters — When dairy farmer Ben Loewith’s calves are born next spring, they will be among the first in the world to be bred with a specific environmental goal: burping less methane. Loewith, a third-generation farmer in Lynden, started artificially inseminating 107 cows and heifers in June with the first-to-market bull semen with a low-methane […] Read more
Dairy — page 18
Dairy farmer eager to see results of low-methane breeding decisions
Lynden-area farmer's herd one of the first to use trait
Comment: Polled Holsteins finally get their day
On June 3, 1987, an average heifer was born on my family’s dairy farm and named Melamar Astro Jet Wendy. She wasn’t remarkable. Many Astro Jet daughters were being born in southern Ontario at that time. The United Breeders Inc. bull was popular and known for daughters with great udders, decent butterfat per cent, and […] Read more
New dairy innovations featured at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show
Dairy business leaders’ perception of what consumers expect of Canadian farmers is driving information technology innovation in the sector. The DeLaval dairy equipment company used the 2023 Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show to officially launch in Canada and the U.S. its DeLaval Plus Behavior Analysis tool for monitoring in-barn cow behaviour and herd health. The company’s […] Read more
New players find way into dairy genetics markets
Some Canadian farms are now selling bull semen
New service providers and technology allow some large dairy farmers to sell genetics from their own bulls. Stanton Farms, one of Ontario’s largest dairy farms, now sells its bull semen directly to farmers. The Stanton family has a tradition of marketing cattle to other farmers. It has purchased some of the top-performing cows in the […] Read more
New dairy experience comes to Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show
Dairy Innovation Centre revamped for 2023 show
Visitors to Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show may have noticed significant changes over the years to the iconic Dairy Innovation Centre. Gone are the robotic milking systems, replaced by many new companies that showcase the latest in dairy technology and management. The building has undergone significant renovation and will feature new penning and livestock handling areas. […] Read more
New additive touted for feed efficiency, solids-not-fat control
Strong results seen in Mexico trial for biocatalyst
Calgary-based feed additive innovator CBS Bio Platforms is trumpeting the feed efficiency benefits of its newly released Optimax E enzyme-based bio-catalyst, as it appeals to dairy farmers’ goals of achieving carbon-neutral status. Given recent implementation by the Dairy Farmers of Ontario of a revised formula to pay for solids-not-fat (SNF), producers may also be interested […] Read more
Managing mycotoxins reduces livestock risk
Dairy cattle usually are affected by multiple mycotoxins when levels reach a damaging threshold in feed
Mycotoxins create havoc on livestock farms, and the concern mostly comes from Gibberella ear rot in corn and corresponding levels of deoxynivalenol (DON). However, there’s a whole realm of mycotoxins out there in crops that can affect livestock. In dairy cows, too much mycotoxin exposure means serious impacts on feeding and gestation. In poultry and […] Read more
Virtual option expands dairy apprenticeship reach
Travel time had limited access to the program for those far from Ridgetown
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
Next dairy research cluster funded
The fourth round of federal government funding is lower than it was five years ago
The Government of Canada has announced $7.5 million in funding to Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) as part of the next Dairy Research Cluster. The funding is provided through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership AgriScience Program, specifically Dairy Research Cluster 4, which is meant to find environmental, economic and social improvements in the Canadian dairy […] Read more
Dairy and beef producers needed for well-being studies
Studies use cross-province collaboration between Universities of Manitoba and Guelph
Updated Aug. 23, 2023 The University of Manitoba is running three studies on the impact of beef and dairy production on producers, including in Ontario. The dairy start-up study will assess the impact on producer well-being as they install and adjust to robots on the farm. The remaining two studies focus on how farm management […] Read more
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