Celmar Dairy Ltd.

From the moment you turn into the farm lane at Celmar Dairy, it is abundantly clear that this operation thrives on efficiency, meticulous upkeep, and an unwavering passion to meet new targets – whether it be in the field or in the barn. But more than that, the 20-year history of Celmar Dairy makes it clear beyond a doubt that this thriving operation was built on a foundation of faith, strong family values, and a lot of hard work. Nestled outside of Norwich, ON, Celmar Dairy, owned and operated by Marcel and Annika Steen, along with their five children, Jasmine, Alex, Emilie, Jace and Juliette, stands as a testament to their core values. Their journey began in 2006 when Marcel branched off from the family farm and began milking 100 cows with two Lely A4 Robots. Incorporating automation into their operation allowed them to manage most daily chores on their own with minimal reliance on additional employees. Now all their children pitch in as needed, with the older ones taking on more responsibilities with cleaning, feeding the calves and delivering feed with the self-propelled feed mixer, while the younger ones ensure the barn cats are well-fed and lend a helping hand where needed.

Today, at Celmar Farms, 190 cows are milked with four Lely A5 robots, and 150 replacement heifers are raised in a manner to bring out their full potential. Marcel & Annika play to their strengths – each focusing on their areas of expertise and together achieve remarkable results. Marcel takes the lead on feeding the herd, the fieldwork and general maintenance and upkeep of the equipment and buildings, while Annika manages the day-to-day care of the herd and runs their breeding program. Annika is a strong proponent of a balanced breeding program – looking for healthy, productive animals on a sound set of legs with high components. Over the past year, they have run an impressive 21-day pregnancy rate around 30%, along with an age at first calving of 23 months. This has not only helped them to maintain excellent days in milk (DIM) but has been instrumental in their achievement of a 42 litre average with 4.5% fat and 3.35% protein. Marcel & Annika work with Marius Klop and the team at Nature Feed Centre for their nutritional advice for their herd. The quality forages and grains produced on their 250 acres of land are balanced with on-farm commodities and a custom Purina premix to create a PMR for the lactating herd. Purina’s Robotech VHE 18%, that is fed through the robots, complements the PMR and has helped this herd achieve exceptional peak milk, leading to highly productive and profitable lactations.

Alongside farming, the Steen family also actively participates in many other areas within their community, including their church, school, 4-H and other groups within the Oxford County farming community. Their passion for animals doesn’t end with cows, horses also have a special place in their heart, as Annika and several of their children ride and attend competitions with their horses. Farming is truly a family affair at Celmar Dairy. Every member plays their own key role in keeping the farm running smoothly, blending responsibility with the joy of working together. This modern, efficient dairy has blossomed under the care of Marcel & Annika, and the foundation they are providing for their children will certainly inspire them to carry this family focused, faith rooted tradition into the future.