The news on Monday about the Schuurmans and the tragic collision on the Canadian Milk Tour near Saskatoon was devastating. This is clearly a situation that comes with shock, surprise, and sadness. In reflection of the events, it really hits home for me that life can be so fragile. My takeaway from this event is… Read more »
Category: Dairy
Ideal fertility timing for top-notch hay
Hay crops can be tricky when it comes to agronomic considerations. Unlike annual crops, hay breaks dormancy, continues to grow and then mature after cutting, and eventually needs to rest up to go dormant again. The unique characteristics of perennials means that fertility is needed at different times of year than most are used to,… Read more »
Tragedy strikes dairy farmers’ Canadian milk tour
An Ontario farm couple’s cross-country tractor tour to show support for Canada’s dairy sector has ended in tragedy on a highway northwest of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The tractor driven by Henk and Bettina Schuurmans, dairy farmers from Elmira, Ontario, collided with a semi on Highway 16 near Dalmeny on Monday at around 9 am. Bettina, 55,… Read more »
Quebec Premier says Canada should consider appeasing the U.S. on class 7 pricing system
In a statement that some people will consider a surprise, Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard mentioned to Bloomberg that Canada may want to consider appeasing the U.S. by changing its class 7 pricing system. According to a story in the Financial Post the Premier said, “If that’s the main issue, let us see how we can… Read more »
Blood and milk test for TB, Johne’s makes steps to commercialization
Saskatoon will soon be host to a UK company that develops rapid bacteria detection tests using blood and milk samples. Announced today, PBD Biotech has chosen Saskatoon, SK, as the headquarters for its Canadian subsidiary. The company’s Actiphage technology is a “highly sensitive and specific assay” that detects live bacteria in the blood or milk of… Read more »
Perdue targets new Canadian dairy class during meeting at the MacAulay farm in PEI
Sonny and Mary Perdue from Savannah, Georgia, visited their Canadian friends Lawrence and Frances MacAulay at their farm in Midgell, Prince Edward Island, on Friday. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Perdue’s visit with Agriculture Minister MacAulay in PEI was, as expected, a friendly affair, especially in the context of the recent narrative between President Trump and Prime… Read more »
Saputo planning to build $240 million dairy processing plant in Port-Coquitlam, BC
Quebec-based dairy processor Saputo has quietly announced a plan to build a $240 million dairy processing facility in Port-Coquitlam, British Columbia. Construction of the “state-of-the-art facility to be commissioned in fiscal 2021” was mentioned in the company’s fiscal 2018 annual report published last week. (Saputo’s 2018 fiscal year ended March 31, 2018.) The company says… Read more »
Canada made dairy offer, but it wasn’t enough: U.S. ag secretary
The Canadian government has offered to allow more dairy imports under its supply management system as part of NAFTA negotiations, but the U.S. administration felt the concessions that were offered weren’t enough, according to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. “They made an offer most recently that they felt like was a very fair offer. I… Read more »
Coca-Cola to build fairlife milk processing facility at Peterborough
The news Coca-Cola and fairlife, LLC, have announced they will introduce fairlife Ultrafiltered Milk to Canada by the end of 2018. The introduction of the higher-protein, lower-sugar, lactose-free dairy beverage will also spur development of a new $85 million production facility at Peterborough, ON. This is the first market introduction outside of the U.S. for… Read more »
Ear tag sensor-based feed program field tested on Canadian dairy
Production efficiency is said to be one of the biggest limiting factors in dairy production. So to that end, for the past six months, animal nutrition and health company Alltech has been researching and developing a new production efficiency program called Smart Dairy. It combines nutrigenomics (the study of how nutrition affects gene expression) and… Read more »
Saputo announces $660,000 to support 4-H dairy programs
Youth involved in 4-H dairy programs have an extra reason to celebrate World Milk Day today. Saputo has announced a partnership with 4-H Canada that will see the dairy processor invest $660,000 over the next three years. The partnership will support members in 4-H dairy cow and goat programs with “grants, awards, and opportunities to… Read more »
Dairy Distillery turns waste skim milk into tasty spirit
What started as a fascination with craft distilling and a chance discussion about dumping skim milk has evolved into a tasty new business at Almonte, Ontario. Neal McCarten is director of operations for Dairy Distillery, and it was his family’s farm background that led to a discussion with Omid McDonald, founder and CEO, about how… Read more »
Gene editing allows for polled dairy genetics without the production drag
Semex, a Canadian-based, farmer-owned cattle genetics company, and Recombinetics, a gene-editing company, have formed an alliance to bring hornless dairy cattle genetics forward through the use of TALENs technology. TALENs involves very precise gene editing that makes small adjustments to the genome of an animal to delete, repair, or replace individual elements of DNA. Because dairy cattle breeds… Read more »
Saputo buys Ontario specialty dairy company
Montreal-based dairy giant Saputo has announced the purchase of Shepherd Gourmet Dairy, based at St. Marys, Ontario, for $100 million. Employing about 90 people, Shepherd Gourmet is known for its specialty cheeses, including feta, sheep’s milk ricotta, and Skyr Icelandic-style yogurt. Saputo says the purchase enables the company’s Canadian dairy division to increase its presence… Read more »
Benchmark study shows health challenges for dairy cull cows at auction
The first benchmark study of the condition of culled dairy cows in Canada shows many animals in less than optimal condition are transported to auction in Ontario, and sold at discounted prices. The study, by a University of Guelph research team, involved 4,460 cows at three Ontario auctions. Over 16 weeks last May through August,… Read more »