Temperature can tell you many things about an animal — if it’s beginning to fall ill, if it’s about to calve, or if it’s coming into heat. The technology to track temperature and movement of cattle comes in many forms, and a western Canadian company is offering a wireless communication rumen bolus that won’t get… Read More
Dairy producers will have a new resource to go to for all things dairy come the summer. CanWest DHI, Valacta, and the Canadian Dairy Network have come together to form a new organization that will be known as Lactanet Canada. “Today is a milestone for our industry,” says Lactanet chair, Barbara Paquet. “Lactanet is an… Read More
Milking with single-box automated milking systems (AMS) has revolutionized the way dairy producers manage their herds. Current estimates indicate that 10 percent of the Canadian dairy herd are now milked by automated systems, and it’s growing. Globally, nearly 30,000 farms employ robots, according to a 2014 survey. Much of the conversation around dairy robots focus… Read More
Perhaps lost in the hustle and bustle of the USMCA trade dealings is the fact that Canada did retaliate against the U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs with tariffs of our own on over 40 grocery and food related items. The full brunt of those tariffs is likely just beginning to be felt at the consumer… Read More
Every year the Canadian Dairy XPO (CDX) attracts companies from all over the globe. Many of them have deep roots in Canada, but others, like Turkey’s Çapar milking systems, are new to the country, seeking to set up shop in one of the world’s most attractive dairy industries. Çapar started producing milking machines in Turkey… Read More
At its annual general meeting, the Canadian Western Agribition (CWA) gave an update as to how the 2018 performed. The organization called it another successful year and reports a profit of $190,671. “It’s important for Agribition to continue to operate responsibly, and to ensure the show and the organization is sustainable in the long term,”… Read More
With less than two months until the World Pork Expo is set to happen at Des Moines, Iowa, and organizers have made the tough call to cancel this year’s event. The move comes out of “an abundance of caution” as African swine fever (ASF) continues to wreak havoc in much of China and other parts… Read More
Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced more than $6 million for the Canadian pork industry under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP). The money will be split in three ways. More than $3.8 million will go towards AgriAssurance to help launch on-farm programs food safety, traceability, and animal care. Part of that money will also… Read More
When it comes to diversification, Stratford, Ont., dairy farmers Henry and Inge Koskamp are adding a new twist to the term. With an eye on future opportunities for five children actively involved in the dairy operation, the Koskamps are now milking 110 Mediterranean water buffalo to go along with the 130 Holsteins. RealAgriculture’s Bernard Tobin… Read More
Rumours of pretty strong Canadian beef exporter numbers for early 2019 weren’t an exaggeration as Statistics Canada’s official numbers puts January exports at a pedal to the metal pace. Confirming what the market heard anecdotally, StatsCan says beef exports to the Asia region in January were up 22 per cent year-over-year. Japan accounted for a… Read More
Look for poultry producers to flock to Stratford, Ont., on November 4 and 5, 2020, for the newly-minted Canadian Poultry XPO. The new poultry industry tradeshow was announced today at the opening of the 2019 Canadian Dairy XPO by show founders Jordon and Donna Underhill, who will now bring the dairy showcase model to the… Read More
If you had to name the top four food and farming-related topics discussed on social media in the last two years, would cannabis top the list? Possibly, given the lead-up to changed legislation last fall, but would you have guessed climate change taking the second spot? A new study led by the Canadian Centre for… Read More
Lameness can have a significant impact on a dairy cow’s health, longevity, and productivity. Are dairy farmers doing a better job preventing lameness on their farms than they have in the past? What risk factors can producers better manage to reduce lameness on their farms? Those are questions University of Calgary graduate student Michelle van… Read More
There are oh-so-many factors at play in the oilseed complex, and the latest trade news (hi there, blocked canola shipments) does not bode well for the vegetable oil market. That said, soybean prices seemed to have encountered some price resistance at the mid-$9/bu price… could this be a bottom? Unfortunately, Chuck Penner, realist and founder… Read More
Reproduction performance on Canadian dairy farms is getting better but there’s still room for improvement. That’s the message Mark Cason, EastGen Genetics reproductive solutions manager, shared with producers attending the Western Canadian Dairy Seminar at Red Deer, Alta., earlier this month. Carson’s insights are based on analysis of CanWest DHI herds greater than 150 cows from… Read More