Canadian Dairy

DFC SUPPORTS DOZENS OF INNOVATIVE PROJECTS UNDER NATIONAL DAIRY RESEARCH STRATEGY

CANADIAN DAIRY FARMERS are committed to supporting research to increase farm efficiency and sustainability, enhance animal health and care practices, improve milk quality and strengthen the role of dairy in human nutrition and health. On their behalf, Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) and 30 partners invest millions annually in human health and nutrition and dairy production research, as well as administer research programs targeting investment priority areas and outcomes of the National Dairy Research Strategy. In these times of “fake news” and misinformation, it is more important than ever to debunk dairy myths with factual reporting. That’s why DFC is proud to fund independent, credible research that is subject to a rigorous scientific peer-review process by external experts. When eligible, DFC aims to finance research through competitive, public scientific programs to obtain matching funding contributions. Here are a few highlights of the investments and initiatives undertaken by DFC on behalf of Canadian dairy farmers over the past year.

INVESTMENTS IN RESEARCH

• In 2021-22, DFC invested $2 million in dairy production and human nutrition and health research, which was boosted to a total of $11 million by leveraging investments through grant programs and partnerships. • 45 research projects are in progress at 34 research institutions across Canada.

• More than 140 scientists and 135 graduate students and postdocs are conducting studies in dairy production and human nutrition and health.

• More than 1,000 dairy farmers from coast to coast are investing their time as part of several research projects to help drive innovation in the Canadian dairy sector. DFC’s research investments and activities contribute to increased knowledge translation and transfer (KTT) for the dairy industry, the goal of which, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, is to “accelerate the transformation of knowledge from research into use.” Some key outcomes from this work include: • In-barn water usage and heat stress indicators were measured on select Canadian dairy farms, both inside and outside the barns.

With this data, water use benchmarks were established, as well as equations relating outdoor weather conditions to in-barn conditions. • A web application was developed to help dairy farmers explore correlations between production traits for Canadian Holstein dairy animals. Visit https://cgil.shinyapps.io/correlations • Bulk tank fatty acid profile was used as a tool to monitor and adjust management and housing in automated milking system farms. • A training and integration tool for dairy production workers was created, called Let’s test your knowledge. Cow...me on! The kit, available in English, French and Spanish, was developed by

AGRICarrières in collaboration with the Mastitis Network, Lactanet and the Canadian Dairy Commission. Visit https://bit.ly/3IQEs3C • A training tool for graduate students, dairy veterinarians, teachers and interested individuals called the Bovine Mastitis MOOCs series was developed by the Mastitis Network with the collaboration of experts from more than 20 countries. Visit www.mastitisnetwork. org/online-open-courses-moocs/ • A study of almost 8,000 Canadian participants demonstrated a beneficial role for dairy foods in the cognitive health of older adults. • A randomized controlled trial of almost 60 Canadian adults consuming dairy two hours before a meal, showed a decrease in appetite, blood glucose and later food intake compared to drinking water.

• Videos, podcasts and infographics were produced for DFC’s first online competition for graduate students to encourage engagement and create innovative content for research users.

To learn more about Dairy Farmers of Canada’s 2021-22 Research Highlights, download your copy of the full publication today: www.dairyfarmersofcanada.ca/en/dairy-research.