On Tuesday, April 9th, a widespread day of protest will be held against – of all things troubling our country – GM alfalfa. Activists will be gathering at about 20 locales, including 12 in Ontario, to show their opposition to its pending arrival. The Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, a relatively benign group with agricultural ties… Read More
What does Canada’s participation in the Trans Pacific Partnership really mean to supply management? Will Canada give up some or all of the supply management pillars in the face of trade opportunities for other agricultural products? While there are no clear cut answers as of yet, TPP negotiations are most certainly a topic of interest… Read More
The more comfortable a cow’s bed, the more likely she’ll spend her day laying about making milk instead of standing or walking. A well supported, comfortable, resting cow is less likely to end up lame as well, and the link between lameness and reduced production and decreased fertility is real. Nearly all bedding options —… Read More
Milk volume is only one aspect of dairy production — the level of individual components in the milk matter just as much. Managing butterfat is often a challenge, as high producing genetic lines tend to have lower butterfat milk. RealAgriculture.com asked Adam Lock, assistant professor, dairy cattle nutrition with Michigan State University, for his perspective… Read More
If you envision GPS-guided cows when you hear “precision dairy,” you might be a grain farmer. If, instead, you envision a way to measure and monitor several aspects of dairy production no matter what time it is or where you are, you’re much closer to reality.From heat detection, to mastitis management, and even lameness monitoring,… Read More
Lameness isn’t just a welfare issue, it’s a production issue too. A cow or bull in pain due to an abscess, foot rot or or injury may go off feed, or, if it’s a bull, may not be able to breed. There are several different types of lameness, some more common in feedlots, others an… Read More
New Year’s Eve held much excitement in U.S. politics, not because of any ball drop or extravagant party, but because of a late-night crunch session to hammer out a tax bill that would pull the U.S. from the so-called “Fiscal Cliff” of mandatory cost cutting and tax hikes. Included in the last-minute agreement was an… Read More
The Liberal Party of Canada is in the middle of choosing a new leader. While the vast majority of attention has been lavished on a raven-haired prime minister’s son, Martha Hall Findlay has been the first (and perhaps only) candidate to bring any part of an agriculture platform into the race. RealAgriculture.com’s editor, Lyndsey Smith,… Read More
We demand so much of our dairy herd — the highest quality milk in copious quantities, excellent production persistence and (we hope) a heifer calf at every calving. The demands of modern dairy production mean cows spend much of their day standing, supporting their large frames and heavy udders. While dairy farmers take extra care… Read More
Soil is a magnificent thing. It’s the medium that makes crop production possible. It’s also rather mysterious. Even now, scientists are just beginning to scratch the surface of naming all the microbes that live in soil and understanding their functions and interactions. There’s also much we do know and understand about soil and its ability… Read More
Utter the words “supply management” and those involved in the agriculture industry are likely to have strong opinions for and against. The same can be said for the U.S., where an expired Farm Bill and recent run-ups in feed costs have converged to make a whole lot of farmers and industry folk nervous about the… Read More
Can we capture the energy from manure that dairy cows produce and use it to fuel the trucks that pick up and deliver milk? The short answer is yes, but we’re not going to see bio-methane pumps around town any time soon. RealAgriculture.com caught up with OMAFRA’s Don Hilborn at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show to… Read More
Dairy is a big deal at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show. Not only is the show home to two robotic milkers and 70 cows on display, but there are several other equipment providers, feed dealers, genetic companies and more all showcasing the latest and greatest for the dairy farmer. SEE MORE COFS12 COVERAGE. We caught up… Read More
Efficiency is the name of the game for all manner of producers, especially in this new, volatile production environment. Farmers are looking at all areas of their operations looking for areas to cut costs or to save inputs. Livestock watering systems are a great place to start. Older livestock waterers can be both power hogs… Read More
Healthy cows are the goal of any successful dairy. Also on the list is high production, maximum feed efficiency and good conception rates, preferably with a new heifer on board. With that in mind, DeLaval rolled out its Herd Navigator — an at-the-milker milk analysis system that scans milk samples for a number of components…. Read More