-
Quebec’s Modern-Day Dairy Farm
They say if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. It’s probably fair to say that even the most passionate dairy farmer would have something to say about that, and there’s n...
-
Building a Dairy Legacy
There’s a special pride that is only felt by farmers. It’s the pride that comes from being part of a family-owned farm – the kind of farm that will be passed on from generation to generation. Fo...
-
Providing a team approach for a more prosperous industry
This drastic increase in readily available information has pushed farmers to seek out various industry personnel to provide insight not only on how to best make use of the vast information but also wh...
-
Maximizing herd lifetime productivity: Key factors and strategies to enhance longevity
Dairy cow longevity has moved more in the spotlight in recent years, mainly due to the economic and sustainability consequences associated with short animal lifespans. The decision of culling or keepi...
-
What are the 6 Freedoms of a Cow?
The six freedoms of a cow outlined by a dairy farming training organization are space, rest, water, air, light and feed. These freedoms have aligned benchmarking goals to help producers realize higher...
-
Using Key Indicators on the Farm to Optimize Quality of Forages
Forages are the basis of dairy herd feeding programs, and their optimal use has a significant impact on farm profitability. They provide cows with the nutrients they need to support their maintenance,...
-
Processing Silage for Greater Profitability
Corn silage harvest season is just around the corner, making it the perfect time to step back and think about what can be done differently this year to maximize the energy your herd gets from this for...
-
Tested and True: Five Strategies that Improved Herd Performance in 2022
Strategizing to improve herd performance has a direct impact on financial returns. Improving herd performance may include a focus on reproduction, cow comfort, data analysis, ration optimization and, ...
-
Reducing Feed Cost Checklist
Feed is expensive. The good news is: Successfully implementing feed management protocols can help to lower your feed cost. Feed management encompasses many aspects on a dairy, some of which can’t be...
-
Manage Time Budgets and Space to Maximize Returns
The world has thrown a lot at everyone over the last two years. From jaw-dropping weather systems to record-setting commodity prices, the economic strain has been felt throughout the entire supply cha...
-
How Safe is Your Dairy Farm?
When you grow up on a dairy farm, it can be hard to see the dangers that exist all around you. From low-hanging beams in barns to the loose ladder on the silo or small rise in the cement, we can becom...
-
Focusing on Corn Silage Makes Cents
At-a-glance: High-quality corn silage significantly boosts milk production and dairy profitability by enhancing nutrient availability and reducing feed costs. Corn silage season is an exciting time in...
-
Forage Season Success Starts with First Cutting
With the 2024 crop season around the corner, it is time to plan for forage inventory, field management, harvesting and storage. Considering that forage comprises more than 60% of our dairy diets, even...
-
Forage digestibility dynamics: A new look at NDF
The start of a new forage year is always filled with much anticipation – will it be a record-breaking year in terms of yield? Will the quality match or surpass the previous year? Will we be able to ...
-
Evaluating costs the ‘SMART’ way
The start of a new year is often a time of reflection on the past year, of setting resolutions for the coming year and, when it comes to your dairy business, a time of crunching the numbers to set bot...
-
Cover the Bases on Foot Health
Our cows have so many demands on them: Put clean milk in the tank, breed back, efficiently utilize feed and more. However, each of these demands are contingent upon the cow’s mobility. Sometimes it ...
-
AMS Retrofit Barns – A Viable Consideration
AMS Retrofit Barns – A Viable Consideration Considering the current economic situation with higher interest rates and increasing building costs, some producers are delaying building plans and large ...
-
Be Proactive to Maximize Animal Comfort
The Canadian dairy industry is set to launch new requirements of the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Dairy Cattle this year. With the goal of meeting consumer demands and to retain or in...
