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CONSULT YOUR VETERINARIAN

Vol. 97 No. 5

CONTENTS PUBLISHED BY DAIRY FARMERS OF ONTARIO 6780 Campobello Rd., Mississauga, Ont., L5N 2L8 EDITOR Jennifer Nevans jennifer.nevans@milk.org

Editorial Editor’s column

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Board column

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ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Pat Logan pat.logan@milk.org 519-788-1559

Dairy Research Co-ordinated by Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s communications division, Sharon Laidlaw, Manager, Corporate Communications.

Canada Post Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No.40063866.

Return postage guaranteed. Circulation: 8,000.

ISSN 0030-3038. Printed in Canada.

SUBSCRIPTIONS For subscription changes or to unsubscribe, contact: MILK PRODUCER 6780 Campobello Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5N 2L8 Phone: (905) 821-8970 Fax: (905) 821-3160 Email: milkproducer@milk.org Opinions expressed herein are those of the author and/or managing editor and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or policies of Dairy Farmers of Ontario.

Publication of advertisements does not constitute endorsement or approval by Milk Producer or Dairy Farmers of Ontario of products or services advertised.

Dairy News Independent validations

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Feed efficiency

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LRIC research

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Heat stress

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DFC highlights

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OMAFRA research

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B.C. donation

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U of G research

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Nutrition modelling

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Manitoba launches campaign 14 Food bank donations

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Producer profile

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New N Noted Featured products

Markets Market demand

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Milk Producer welcomes letters to the editor about magazine content.

Websites: www.milkproducer.ca www.milk.org Facebook: /OntarioDairy Twitter: @OntarioDairy Instagram: @ontariodairy

Farm Management Bt resistance

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Hypocalcemia

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Farm safety

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Farm finance

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Calf care

34 MILKPRODUCER | MAY 2021

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EDITORIAL

[ GOVERNMENT RELATIONS ACTIVITIES IN APRIL

By Jennifer Nevans

EDITOR

A

pril was an eventful month in terms of government relations activities. Last month, the federal government released its first full tabled budget since March 2019.

There were several highlights for Canadian dairy, including a commitment from the government to address a longstanding issue brought forward by Dairy Farmers of Canada and Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO).

With the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) opening the borders to additional dairy imports, it’s important to ensure Canadian Border Services officers are trained to monitor and control supply-managed goods at the border.

That’s why the industry welcomed the government’s announcement of $38.2 million over five years and $7.9 million per year for additional monitoring and control of trade flow. This, along with the government’s promise for full and fair compensation for the im-

pacts of CUSMA, are some of the issues the industry will continue to hold the government accountable to.

The budget also included positive progress for Canadian dairy processors. In fact, Dairy Processors Association of Canada called the federal budget a step in the right direction when it comes to the $292.5 million over seven years in compensation for dairy processors impacted by the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Several other announcements were made in support of sustainability, including: • $152 million over six years to support the adoption of clean technologies in the agricultural sector; • $200 million over two years to launch immediate, on-farm climate action under the Agricultural Climate Solutions Program; • $60 million over two years from the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund to target the protection of existing wetlands and trees on farms; • $10 million over two years from the Agricultural Clean Technology Program toward powering farms with clean energy and moving off diesel;

• $50 million from the Agricultural Clean Technology Program to purchase more efficient grain dryers for farmers across Canada; • $100 million worth of carbon tax rebates on the fuel used for grain drying for farmers in the backstop jurisdictions of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario in the first year. Returns in future years will be based on proceeds from the price on pollution collected in the prior fiscal year and are expected to increase as the price on pollution rises.

In addition to the federal budget, last month, DFO held its annual provincial lobby day event, where industry representatives met with nearly 40 government officials to highlight critical issues that affect Ontario’s dairy sector.

Among the issues discussed included: • Better representation at the Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) advisory table; • Funding to help modernize dairy processing and expand beef processing; • Mandatory use of agricultural impact assessments across the province; • The creation of a grocery code of conduct; • Mitigation for trade issues, such as tariff rate quota allocation, CUSMA impacts and improved border enforcement.

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EDITORIAL

BUTTERGATE: SUSTAINING PUBLIC TRUST AMID UNSUBSTANTIATED FACTS AND SPECULATION

By Murray Sherk

DFO CHAIR

“I

s your butter not as soft as it used to be?

The pandemic and our urge to bake is partly to blame—along with palm oil.”

That was the headline of Julie Van Rosendaal’s article in the Globe and Mail on Feb. 20, and it was one of the articles that sparked a debate garnering worldwide attention.

The story quickly evolved into one that assumed butter had gotten harder in the past several months and that feeding palm fat was to blame. This then led to questions about the potential environmental problems with palm oil production. From newsprint to radio to television coverage, it even went on to make international headlines in the New York Times,

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MAY 2021 | MILKPRODUCER

the BBC and beyond. Just google “hard butter” and you will get a sense for the traction the story gained.

As the proliferation of this story unfolded, it reminded me of the saying commonly attributed to Jonathan Swift (1667-1745): “A lie can get halfway around the world before truth can even get its boots on.” I’m not saying butter is or isn’t harder, but that aspect of the story sure spread like wildfire while farmers, industry and scientists tried to figure out how to address the issue. As many have said, getting facts in this case was—and still is—complicated.

The way this issue progressed points out several realities of the speed at which information can travel and how stories can unravel.

This issue aside, it’s troubling a narrative can be advanced that does not necessarily square with facts. People say things that may not be true as though they are, and someone can hijack a headline that can then dominate what we believe. Activism can be done on talking

points that do not necessarily fit with the evidence. However, this is not a new phenomenon—it just hasn’t hit the dairy industry quite like this before.

Discerning what is true can be very challenging, and aside from finding truth, it’s often perceptions that influence consumer behaviour and thus, it becomes tricky for businesses and organizations, such as Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO), to determine the most appropriate responses. In the case of butter, I think I’m being factual by saying early on, there really were very few facts available on either side—it was simply speculation. There were many questions being asked about potential causes of changes in butter—if it had even changed at all—and even if feeding palm fat was to blame, there was little supporting evidence.

At DFO, we monitored the situation carefully and made several calls with Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC). Provincial boards decided it was best DFC be the main voice with the media since it was an issue affecting all Canadian producers. In the absence of facts, caution seemed to be the best approach. A working group was established to investigate the issues, and we are expecting results soon.

In the meantime, a couple thoughts: • Regardless of how well-intentioned dairy farmers are at producing safe, wholesome, nutritious milk, we are not immune to the way in which the public can question our farming practices. As individual farmers, we need to have farms that are “consumer ready” every day so that farm appearance and practices will gain support in the court of public opinion. Farmers have great public trust, and we must do all we can to honour and preserve that trust; • At DFO, there is a need to more fully develop a roster of farmers who can be briefed on issues so they are able to offer informed views to the media. Andrew Campbell and Bruce Sargent did a great job of this by relaying their own practices and perspectives. We need others as well.

By the time you read this, there may be more discussion surrounding buttergate. Sustaining public trust is not a new issue, but the ways in which it gets questioned changes with the times. It’s helpful to recall the words of Mark Twain in 1870: “The public is the only critic whose judgment is worth anything at all.”

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DAIRY NEWS

[ ONTARIO INDEPENDENT VALIDATIONS START JUNE 1, 2021

By Maria Leal

CONTRIBUTOR

O

ver the last several years, there has been increased public scrutiny around animal welfare, as well as increased interest in the environmental impacts of the agricultural industry and in how and where milk is produced, including concerns regarding the integrity of self-regulated programs.

To improve proAction’s credibility, Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s (DFO) board recognized the need to have proAction validations conducted by independent validators. While having validations conducted by an independent service provider is not considered a third party, it provides a separation between DFO and the validations, bringing better consumer trust to proAction as a quality and sustainability program.

As previously announced, starting June 1, 2021, validations will be conducted by Lactanet as an independent service provider instead of DFO’s field services representatives (FSR). proAction validations are conducted according to national requirements established by Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC). While DFO is changing who conducts the validations, how the validations will be conducted will remain the same. In other words, the on-farm validation process will not change.

Validators will continue to use DFC’s validation checklist, which is available on DFC’s proAction website at www.dairyfarmers.ca/proaction/resources/overview.

Below is an overview of what validators are required to do (currently and after June 1): • Review standard operating procedures (SOP) and corrective action plans (CAP), and observe and interview producers to make sure SOPs and CAPs are implemented as written; • Review records, such as for a wash analysis, water test, time temperature recorder (TTR), Holstein Canada cattle assessment, veterinary cattle health and veterinary medicine use declaration, biosecurity risk assessment, etc.; • Observe the milkhouse to verify the cleanliness of exterior surfaces, proper chemical storage, functioning safety switch, covered light fixtures, etc.; • Observe medication storage, such as cupboards and fridges, to make sure medications are properly stored and only unexpired medications are available, as well as the list of medications is current, etc.; • Observe feed storage and feeding areas to ensure proper control of medicated feed, pet food

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MAY 2021 | MILKPRODUCER

Here’s what FSRs will be doing on June 1, 2021:

Support/Quality

• Producers’ first point of contact: quota matters, policies, etc.

• Quota forms • Quality follow-up • proAction questions • Policy questions

Other

• DFO policies: farm yard and laneway • Animal welfare complaints • Iodine testing and investigations • Liaise with veterinarians • DPC meetings, DFO meetings (e.g.

SPC, FRM), training

Regulation 761 • Grade A inspections: initial, follow-up, new/renovated facility, GIS • Inhibitor detentions • Shut-offs

• Reinstatements (inspections and sampling) • Animal care orders • Quality investigations • Appeal investigations

As of June 1, 2021, Lactanet will conduct proAction validations, including scheduling validations, following up and closing corrective action requests, reviewing self-declarations and following up on pending items. and feeds are labelled not for use for ruminants, there’s access to water, etc.; • Observe cattle and housing to verify cattle cleanliness, bedding, stocking densities, calf housing requirements, heifer feeding, access to water, trainers, calving and hospital areas, animal identification, etc.; • Observe exterior to confirm the laneway is clear of manure contamination, cattle access to manure storage is restricted, biosecurity signage is present, etc.

Outsourcing proAction validations will create capacity for DFO’s FSRs to focus on Grade A standards and milk quality. Specifically, more frequent Grade A inspections will be conducted based on risk and on an unannounced basis.

In addition, FSRs will conduct milk quality follow-up visits in response to test results.

POLICY CHANGES DFO’s Raw Milk Quality Program Policies book has been updated to accommodate changes in the delivery of on-farm programs. The following policy updates will be effective June 1, 2021: • Administration of Grade A status as a prerequisite to proAction; • Identification that validations and some administration tasks are conducted by a service provider; • Identification of requirements that involve electronic data collection is required; • Service fees applied when producers request DFO enter a self-declaration or an environmental questionnaire into the system; • Section describing appeals specific to proAction has been included;

• Frequency of Grade A inspections will increase based on risk; • Course of action when an inspection cannot be completed; • Description of the Graduated Inspection Program; • Grade A inspections will automatically be conducted after two consecutive months of nonGrade A classifications; • Explanation of the legislative basis for unannounced inspections; • Service fees will apply for every reinstatement visit following shut-off from the milk market.

To view DFO’s updated Raw Milk Quality Program Policies book, visit DFO’s website at https:// new.milk.org/Industry/Programs-and-Policies.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 1. What will FSRs do now?

FSRs will focus on the provincial Raw Milk Quality Program, specifically Grade A inspections, milk quality investigations and animal care orders. In addition, FSRs will continue to be producers’ first point of contact for quota matters, policy questions and proAction questions, and will handle other matters, such as ensuring DFO’s policies are being met, conducting iodine testing and investigations and liaising with veterinarians (see table above).

2. Who will be the independent validators and how will they be qualified?

Ensuring validators have the required experience, qualifications and knowledge has been an important consideration throughout the selection and contract development process.

Continued on page 10 W W W.MILK PRODUCER.CA

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DAIRY NEWS Ontario independent validations start June 1, 2021, cont’d from page 8 Strict contractual requirements are in place to ensure these expectations are met. Independent validators are employees of Lactanet, and DFO provided the requirements that informed Lactanet’s hiring.

Lactanet staff need to meet DFC’s validator qualification criteria, including farm experience, in order to be approved to proceed with validator training. Once candidates attend validator training and pass the test, they are required to conduct several validations alongside an experienced validator before they can be certified.

3. Will the independent validator be allowed on my farm unannounced? proAction validations are by appointment. Therefore, you will know when they are arriving onfarm. Validators will be authorized by DFO’s board to conduct this work.

4. What happens if a validator finds something that doesn’t meet the requirements?

This part of the validation process will also stay the same. If a validator finds any issues that do not meet the standards, he or she will issue a corrective action request (CAR). This will be reflected in the validation report provided and explained to the producer. The producer will have until the end of the month following the assigned validation

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MAY 2021 | MILKPRODUCER

month (AVM) to close any CARs. Lactanet will verify that CARs have been closed.

If CARs are not closed, DFO will begin the financial penalty application process. If CARs remain open for a long period of time, the proAction suspension policy will be applied.

5. How will this change affect Grade A inspections?

Grade A inspections will no longer be scheduled with the proAction validation and therefore, will be unannounced.

Grade A status will continue to be a prerequisite to proAction. If your farm’s status is Grade A, your validation will proceed. However, if your farm’s status is conditional Grade A or non-Grade A, your validation will not be conducted or approved until the farm’s status returns to Grade A. Maria Leal is the director of quality assurance and regulatory compliance at Dairy Farmers of Ontario.

DFC SUPPORTS GROCERY CODE OF CONDUCT

By Dairy Farmers of Canada

CONTRIBUTOR

D

airy Farmers of Canada (DFC) welcomes with great interest the Grocery Supply Code of Practice for Canada proposed by Food, Health and Consumer Products of Canada and Empire Company Limited in March.

If adopted, a code of conduct of this nature would bring greater balance to supplier-retailer relationships, improve competition in the grocery retail environment and foster greater collaboration throughout the food supply chain.

In recent years, some retailers have increased pressure on suppliers by imposing arbitrary and unreasonably harsh fees and penalties and making unilateral changes to supply agreements. If left unchecked, these practices could hamper product innovation, reduce product variety and generate unnecessary costs, with a negative impact on dairy farmers, processors, independent grocers and consumers alike.

Some countries, such as Australia, Ireland and the United Kingdom, have already recognized the benefits of adopting a grocery code of conduct, which promote transparency, predictability and openness in the food supply chain.

DFC is supportive of this kind of proposal and expresses its desire to participate in any future consultations on this issue.

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AGROPUR TO CLOSE WINNIPEG FLUID MILK PLANT

A

gropur Co-operative will be closing its fluid milk plant in Winnipeg, Man., in September 2021. The decision will impact 48 employees, and the plant’s operations will be transferred to other Agropur fluid milk facilities in Western Canada.

Agropur is closing the plant to optimize its fluid milk manufacturing operations. Given current market conditions, Agropur made a strategic decision to concentrate its fluid milk manufacturing operations for Western Canada at three other facilities, located in Burnaby, B.C., Victoria, B.C., and Edmonton, Alta.

“Unfortunately, the level of investment required to maintain the plant’s competitiveness in the coming years was becoming too high,” says Émile Cordeau, Agropur’s chief executive officer. “We are making this strategic decision to optimize our consumer milk network in Western Canada. This will help simplify our business model and ensure our competitiveness.”

Affected employees will be able to take advantage of available programs, including employment opportunities at other Agropur sites, severance packages and the employee and family assistance program.

AGROPUR WITHDRAWS BULK MILK HAULING IN QUEBEC AND NOVA SCOTIA Agropur has announced the sale of its bulk milk hauling operations in Quebec to companies whose core business is transporting liquid food products.

The decision will result in up to 11 positions being eliminated in Quebec. Meanwhile, 75 other employees, as well as the bulk milk transport assets and operations, will be transferred to the purchasers.

The co-operative will also discontinue its milk transport activities in Nova Scotia as of June 30, 2021, which will result in 34 positions being eliminated at Agropur. Dairy Farmers of Nova Scotia has signed agreements with two other transport companies to take over the operation.

Agropur will continue its milk transport operations in New Brunswick.

“I would like to thank all employees in this sector affected by this decision,” Cordeau says.

“They have been important standard-bearers of the co-operative on the roads and with dairy farmers in these two provinces.”

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DAIRY NEWS

B.C. DAIRY FARMERS DONATE TO BREAKFAST CLUB OF CANADA

T

he B.C. Dairy Association’s Wake Up to the Best campaign aimed to help vulnerable children in British Columbia by providing a healthy breakfast over the holiday season.

From November 2020 to January 2021, B.C. dairy farmers partnered with 32 restaurants across the province to donate one breakfast to Breakfast Club of Canada for every purchase of a special breakfast item. Donations totalled the equivalent of 17,263 meals worth $51,790—enough to feed more than 100 children in B.C. for a year.

“Providing healthy, nutritious food to our local communities has always been a priority for B.C. dairy farmers,” says Jennifer Woron, B.C. Dairy’s director of marketing. “This year, these types of programs are particularly important for our communities.”

Breakfast Club of Canada is a natural partner for dairy farmers, who have supported schools with nutrition education for more than 30 years in B.C. There are currently 181 breakfast clubs serving meals to more than 8,800 children daily in B.C., and the need is growing.

Since the start of the global pandemic, job loss and poverty have affected many Canadians, which has resulted in a rise in food insecurity, especially for vulnerable children.

“The generosity of B.C. dairy farmers to bring about real change in the community comes at a time of most need,” says Tommy Kulczyk, Breakfast Club of Canada’s general manager. “With one in three children starting

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MAY 2021 | MILKPRODUCER

immense strain on our industry, participating restaurants saw a boost to their business.”

He says the community not only helped feed vulnerable children in B.C., but it also helped with sales during these challenging times.

“It’s one thing to be generous toward a great organization, such as Breakfast Club of Canada, but it’s another to include local restaurants that have been struggling through this pandemic,” says Dani Trueman from Spoons Diner in Victoria, B.C. “We got a nice bump in business during Christmas when further pandemic restrictions drastically reduced people coming in the door.

We had guests come back time and time again to order our promotional dish, which was great for us and great for Breakfast Club of Canada.”

school on an empty stomach, B.C. Dairy’s donation is needed now more than ever.”

In addition to supporting the Breakfast Club of Canada, B.C. Dairy hoped to boost sales for local restaurants during this challenging time for the foodservice industry. Although social distancing requirements are in place, restaurants are still open.

“Participating restaurants were extremely excited to come together to support a good cause over the holiday season,” says Ian Tostenson from B.C. Restaurant and Foodservices Association. “As the pandemic continues to place

LACTANET’S BOARD REAPPOINTS CHAIR, VICE-CHAIR

L

actanet Canada’s board of directors has reappointed Barbara Paquet as chair and Matthew Flaman as vice-chair during the organization’s last regular board meeting.

“Despite a very challenging year because of the pandemic, Lactanet has managed to adapt and bring innovative products to dairy farmers throughout the year—from robotic farms to on-farm software, and from innovative milk analysis to traceability and virtual education workshops,” Paquet says.

Paquet and Flaman are dairy farmers from Saint-Côme-Linière, Que., and Vibank, Sask., respectively. Both are also actively involved in leadership roles with other industry partners.

“Bringing together the strengths of three organizations to work together for the success of dairy farmers has taken a tremendous amount of time and effort in the past two years,” says Neil Petreny, Lactanet’s chief executive officer. “The leadership of the board is directly related to the success of the company.”

In addition to the recent introduction of an eDHI service and the introduction of feed efficiency evaluations, Lactanet’s board recently implemented a resolution process to give a voice to all licensed dairy producers in the country. The board sees this process as a key element in engaging dairy producers and supporting efforts to ensure a sustainable and thriving future.

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Dairy Advisory Team

DAIRY NEWS

SERGE RIENDEAU REAPPOINTED AS CEO OF THE CANADIAN DAIRY COMMISSION

S

erge Riendeau has been reappointed as chief executive officer (CEO) of the Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC) for a one-year term, effective May 14, 2021.

Riendeau was first appointed as CEO in 2018.

During his tenure, he has made significant contributions to the sector, including supporting the negotiations for the new Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement and chairing the Canadian Milk Supply Management Committee.

Prior to his appointment, he operated a 1,000acre, 500-head dairy farm for more than 40 years.

Riendeau also had an extensive 26-year career as a member of Agropur Co-operative’s board of directors, where he served as president for 15 years.

Throughout his career, Riendeau received many recognition awards in the field of agriculture, including being inducted in the Temple de la Renommée de l’Agriculture du Québec in 2019.

Riendeau is an active member of the community and supports charities for children facing bullying and violence.

“The Canadian Dairy Commission plays an important role in keeping the dairy sector competitive, productive and innovative,” says Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau.

“Under Riendeau’s watch, the CDC has a solid track record of delivering major programs, including the Dairy Direct Payment Program and add-

#LoveLocalEatLocal offers free advertising for locally owned restaurants affected by the pandemic

SERGE RIENDEAU will continue serving the Canadian Dairy Commission as chief executive officer for a one-year term.

ed dairy surplus purchases during the pandemic.”

With Riendeau’s term ending in May 2022, the federal government is launching appointment processes for a new full-time CEO and part-time chairperson at the CDC. For more information on these opportunities, visit https://bit.ly/3sBPksQ.

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MAY 2021 | MILKPRODUCER

CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED IN MANITOBA TO SUPPORT LOCAL RESTAURANTS

D

airy Farmers of Manitoba (DFM) is helping support local restaurants that have been affected by COVID-19.

“Now more than ever, it’s important we come together to support each other,” says David Wiens, DFM’s chair. “Just like Manitoba dairy farms, local restaurants are proudly owned and operated small businesses. We’re proud to support local Manitoba restaurants that are so important to our communities.”

It’s no secret the pandemic has hit the restaurant industry hard, which is why DFM’s #LoveLocalEatLocal campaign is setting out to make a difference by helping local restaurants affected by COVID-19 advertise their businesses. The goal is not only to increase orders, but also build relationships for loyal, long-term customers who will continue to help their local Manitoba communities thrive.

The #LoveLocalEatLocal campaign is live in Manitoba until the end of June, and features a variety of creative assets across transit shelters, billboards, radio, social and digital platforms, including a contest to encourage Manitobans to show their love for local restaurants by ordering take out or dining in where local public health guidelines allow.

Run exclusively by key influencers across Instagram, the contest gives followers a chance to win a gift card to one of the participating #LoveLocalEatLocal restaurants.

Restaurants participating in the #LoveLocalEatLocal campaign include Sorrento’s Bar and Pizzeria-Grant, Le Garage, One Great City Brewing Company, Amsterdam Tea Room and Bar and more.

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All calcium boluses are not created equal

Calcium Bolus Fistula Study

1

0 MINUTES

At Solvet, we create solutions for the challenges of veterinarians and producers. So, we got to work when we were asked to create a bolus that provided rapid availability of calcium for cows to address the challenging demands for calcium after calving.

The result was a bolus with three key differences: Cal-Boost is a rapid absorption bolus that increases calcium blood levels during the critical period after calving.

Studies indicate that two Cal-Boost boluses are a convenient and effective way to supplement blood calcium levels post-calving.

CAL-BOOST™ 201 g

RUMILIFE 24® 207 g

90 MINUTES

Cal-Boost features a coating so precise that we hired a chocolatiere to oversee its manufacture, resulting in a protective coating that makes the bolus easily administered and rapidly broken down in the rumen.

Ask your veterinarian about Cal-Boost, The Unequal Advantage.

CAL-BOOST™ 0g

RUMILIFE 24® 255 g*

90 minutes after administering Cal-Boost, all that remains in the rumen is its protective coating * Weight includes rumen fluid absorbed by the bolus 1 - Data on file

Solvet continues to conduct ongoing research in Canada.

For our latest research findings, please contact your veterinarian. * Weight includes rumen fluid absorbed by the bolus. 1-Data is available on file. 2-Dairy Research and Extension Consortium of Alberta, October 2020. Solvet is a subsidiary of Alberta Veterinary Laboratories Ltd.

Solvet.ca

DAIRY NEWS

ONTARIO PRODUCERS ENCOURAGED TO SIGN UP FOR UPDATED FOOD BANK DONATION PROGRAM Food bank forms are available in this month’s issue of Milk Producer

D

airy Farmers of Ontario (DFO), along with the Ontario Dairy Council and Ontario Milk Transport Association, is proud to be associated with Feed Ontario through the Food Bank Donation Program.

With the staggering number of Ontario residents who go to work or school hungry every day, food bank donations are needed now more than ever.

To streamline the delivery of the Food Bank Donation Program and ensure a consistent supply of milk to Feed Ontario, DFO has implemented changes to the program, which includes removing the renewal process. In keeping with a suggestion from a number of producers, those who opt into the program will continue to stay in the program until they provide written notice to DFO to opt out.

DFO will provide two opportunities every year for producers to opt out—before the dairy year begins in August and halfway through the dairy year in February. To opt out, producers must provide written notice at least 30 days before Aug. 1 or Feb. 1, at which time, they will be removed from the program starting in August or February of that year.

Ontario producers who would like to donate through the program starting in August 2021 can fill out the new donation form included in this month’s issue of Milk Producer magazine and return it to DFO in the prepaid envelope

by July 1, 2021.

A food donation tax credit is also available to Ontario farmers who donate agricultural products to eligible community food programs, including food banks. This credit provides a 25 per cent non-refundable tax credit to Ontario dairy producers based on the fair market value of the donation and is based on the volume contributed and the specific producer blend price as per DFO records. Feed Ontario will issue tax receipts to participants in February of each year for the previous calendar year.

Currently, 446 producers donate 105,060 litres each month. Transporters agree to pick up and deliver the milk at no cost, and 11 fluid milk plants contribute the processing, packaging and distribution of the milk products.

Only food banks with refrigeration can be part of the fluid milk program. Total donations for this dairy year are estimated to reach more than 1.1 million litres.

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MAY 2021 | MILKPRODUCER

DID YOU KNOW?

According to Feed Ontario’s Hunger Report 2020, before COVID-19, more than 537,000 people accessed food banks across Ontario. During the onset of the pandemic, food banks saw a 26 per cent increase in first-time visitors between March and June 2020.

DFO LAUNCHES NEW ONTARIO DAIRY GUIDE

D

airy Farmers of Ontario’s (DFO) business development team recently launched the 2021 Ontario Dairy Guide as a reference document for the public to learn more about local dairy and its various categories.

The guide features key facts and nutritional information on a variety of dairy categories, including milk, butter, cheese, cream, ice cream and yogurt. It also contains recipes and a list of all Ontario-based dairy processors.

DFO launched the guide at the Restaurants Canada show earlier this year and will continue to promote it to further highlight how DFO is focusing on Ontario dairy and local processors.

To access the Ontario Dairy Guide, visit https://new.milk.org/Made-With-Milk/ Ontario-Dairy-Guide.

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DAIRY NEWS

DFO, OMHA PRESENT BURSARY PROGRAM Five graduating high school students will each earn a post-secondary education bursary of $8,000

H

ockey players know first-hand the commitment needed to succeed at a high level on the ice and in the classroom. With this school year providing extra challenges, the hard work put forward by graduating students deserves to be recognized.

Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) is proud to partner with the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) to present a bursary program, which recognizes minor hockey players for their outstanding commitment to: • Community service: assisting in building stronger and healthier communities; • Athletics: on-ice achievements, as well a passion for hockey; • Academics: dedication to studies and attaining high grades in the classroom.

OMHA’s bursary program is composed of two awards—DFO’s bursary and the Wally Scott Bursary. It reflects the achievements of young hockey players who are committed to their community, athletic abilities and academic achievements. Each recipient will receive financial support toward their post-secondary education.

“Dairy Farmers of Ontario fully supports Ontario youth to achieve their goals, both on and off the ice,” says Cheryl Smith, DFO’s chief executive officer. “MilkUP is DFO’s youth lifestyle brand that inspires, celebrates and motivates teens to find the strength and energy on their journey in realizing their untapped potential. The bursary program will recognize some of the outstanding Ontario youth athletes who demonstrate MilkUP’s values: perseverance, originality and heart.”

Five DFO bursaries will be awarded at $8,000 each, and up to two Wally Scott Bursary recipients can receive between $1,000 and $2,500.

“We are excited to partner with Dairy Farmers of Ontario for a second season to highlight the top student-athletes in OMHA. These bursaries are a testament to the time commitment, focus and dedication needed to succeed at a high level both in the classroom and on the ice,” says Ian Taylor, OMHA’s executive director. “We hope these bursaries help our players achieve their post-secondary education goals so they can continue to give back to their communities.”

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MAY 2021 | MILKPRODUCER

CFGA WRAPS UP FOUR-YEAR GREENHOUSE GAS PROJECT

T

he Canadian Forage and Grassland Association (CFGA) held a virtual wrapup session in March to report on its fouryear Agricultural Greenhouse Gases Program (AGGP) project.

Designed to align with CFGA’s priorities, the project has supported Forage Expert Committee engagement at the CFGA annual conference and at other meetings throughout the years, as well as achieved several deliverables, including: • Building out the current state of science around carbon sequestration and what it means for best management practices (BMP) for the sector; • Building out the carbon sequestration protocol for Canadian forage production systems; • Developing a BMP guide for enhancing carbon storage in forage systems to help growers implement BMPs on the landscape; • Piloting the protocol development on Canadian farms.

“We wanted to do what we could to provide a foundation for discussion on how the grassland sector can play a role in primarily delivering carbon offsets to market and drive the high-performance forage management concept,” says Cedric MacLeod, CFGA’s executive director.

The group’s new manual, entitled Forage Best WWW.MILKPRODUCER.CA

Management Practices for Enhancing Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration, is one of the deliverables. Including a comprehensive explanation of carbon trading, this manual is a practical, straightforward document outlining BMPs farmers and ranchers can implement to enhance and maximize soil carbon sequestration. The BMP manual is available at www. canadianfga.ca/forage-bmp-manual.

Recordings of all the presentations made at the wrap-up session, including reports on the Canadian grasslands protocol, the BMP manual, participating CFGA provincial members’ AGGP pilot projects, carbon market needs and opportunities, market trends and what’s next for the organization, can be found at https://tinyurl.com/CFGAAGGPWrapUp.

DEADLINE TO ENROL IN AGRISTABILITY PROGRAM EXTENDED

D

uring a virtual meeting with Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial ministers, a decision was made to remove the reference margin limit for AgriStability, one of the business risk management programs under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

The removal of the reference margin limit will be made retroactive to the 2020 program year. In addition, the deadline for producers to enroll in the 2021 program year will be extended to June 30, 2021.

The purpose of these changes is to simplify the program and help farmers in need by increasing the level of support for agricultural operations with lower allowable expenses.

To read the government press release, visit https://bit.ly/3enY3cV.

FFCO PRESENTS FOOD & FARMING CHAMPION AWARDS

F

arm and Food Care Ontario (FFCO) presented two Food and Farming Champion Awards at its annual conference in April.

One of the recipients was Paul Nairn, who has worked for the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) for 25 years and is now the western region member services manager.

“Paul is always supportive and knows the importance of educating the public on modern farm practices and gaining rapport,” says colleague Kaylee Coverdale. “He always encourages staff to get involved in their community and become the faces of agriculture for local government and the public.”

Nairn was nominated by OFA, with letters of support from OFA member service representatives Joanne Fuller, Margaret Vincent and Joanne Hughes, as well as Neil and Joan Vincent, past and current directors of the Huron Federation of Agriculture, and Perth County pork farmers Tanya and Darryl Terpstra.

“All of his nominators made note of his contagious positivity and tendency to shy away from taking the credit he deserves,” says Crispin Colvin, FFCO’s vice-chair.

Nairn is a mentor to other OFA staff and youth in agriculture through his involvement in organizations, such as Junior Farmers. He often takes on volunteer and leadership roles at

local agriculture events, including the International Plowing Match.

He has been a long-time volunteer with FFCO, leading teams of volunteers serving food at Breakfast on the Farm events across the province, as well as volunteering to manage FarmFood360° virtual reality booth at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and many other events.

“Supporting the work of Farm and Food Care, promoting agriculture and trying to make a difference in the industry is what I have been trying to do since I graduated from university,” Nairn says.

A second Food and Farming Champion Award was presented to Sandi Brock, a sheep farmer and social media advocate.

Since 1999, the Champion Award has been presented annually in recognition of an individual or group’s significant commitment to public outreach and support for Ontario’s farming community. The decision was made by an independent panel of judges who reviewed all the 2021 nominations and determined the need for two awards to be presented in 2021.

The award was presented by Colvin, as well as past chair Christine Schoonderwoerd, in front of a virtual audience of 200 attendees during the conference.

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DAIRY NEWS

NEWFOUNDLAND FARMER HOPES HIS KIDS FOLLOW DAIRY FARMING LIFESTYLE

By Tamara Botting

CONTRIBUTOR

W

hile it’s a bit early for them to have made up their minds—the oldest is only 10, and the youngest is still on the way—Ian Richardson hopes his kids will choose to one day take over the family dairy farm.

“I don’t think there’s any better way of life,” says the owner of Larch Grove Farms in Newfoundland. “I’m a first-generation dairy farmer, and I hope I’m not going to be the last.”

Richardson moved from Prince Edward Island to Newfoundland more than 20 years ago.

“My family had a beef and pig farm in P.E.I. I guess there were too many brothers at home, so somebody had to leave. I was the one who floated off one island onto another—that’s the way I like to put it,” he says with a laugh.

Richardson says there was too much fluctuation in the beef and hog industry for his liking at the time. “There was never any stability in it.”

That’s why he opted to go into dairy farming instead. His family back home ended up following suit and converting soon after.

That’s proven to be beneficial for Richardson’s family and for himself personally, as his parents have raised most of his heifers for him.

“The price of feed is so expensive in Newfoundland. It’s usually cheaper to send them off

IAN RICHARDSON hopes his kids— Mackenzie, 10, Nash, 2, Landon, 7, and the baby on the way—will choose to go into dairy farming when they’re older.

20

MAY 2021 | MILKPRODUCER

IAN RICHARDSON with his partner, Jessica Murphy, run their dairy operation, Larch Grove Farms, while also raising their kids, Nash, 2, Mackenzie, 10, Landon, 7, and a new baby on the way.

the island to get them fed,” Richardson says.

He often sends his calves out to heifer raisers after they reach around six to eight months old, bringing them back when they’re two to three months away from calving.

“It’s one of the main goals the farm has here— to try and get some sort of a facility put up so we can start to raise our own heifers and not have to send them away,” Richardson says, adding it might be a while before that can happen, though.

Richardson says the farm has been growing by leaps and bounds lately because demand for locally raised beef has been increasing.

“We’ve started to raise quite a few beef animals to try and fill that market,” he says. “We’re cross breeding dairy cows with Angus and Simmental bulls to grow the number of beef animals we have available.”

At the same time, Richardson’s dairy operation has about 200 cattle milked twice daily in a tiestall barn with hired help.

“Right now, we’re averaging about 38 litres a cow,” he says, adding butterfat content is usu-

ally around 4.55 to 4.6 kilograms.

Richardson knows more automation could improve the operation, but at the same time, “I want to make sure my kids have some interest in the place before we go and sink that kind of investment in the farm.”

When he’s not milking, Richardson is in the fields, farming about 1,000 acres.

“We mostly grow forages,” he says. “Our season is pretty short here, so it really restricts us in what we can grow.”

That can be challenging, given how expensive it is to ship in feed, but that’s also why Richardson is so keen on following environmentally sustainable practices, such as having a good nutrient management plan.

“You’ve got to take a lot of care and pride in taking care of the land because it’s what will look after us,” he says.

Tamara Botting is an author and award-winning journalist.

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MARKETS

[ P5 BOARDS ANNOUNCE JUNE QUOTA INCREASE

By Jennifer Nevans

EDITOR

P

5 boards have agreed to increase the saleable quota allocated to P5 producers by 1.5 per cent on June 1, 2021, in order to meet anticipated market requirements for the remainder of the year. This is the third increase in six months, totalling 4.5 per cent since December 2020.

“We’re still seeing strong market demand due to an increase demand for Canadian butterfat, even with the impact of COVID-19 on the economy and the continuous increase in imports due to access granted in recent trade agreements,” says Patrice Dubé, Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s (DFO) chief economics and policy development officer. “Meanwhile, production in some P5 provinces has slowed down because of the decline in credit days at the farm level.”

Dubé says monitoring butter stock levels is one of the key indicators in determining whether additional production signals are needed.

As of the end of March 2021, butter stock levels dropped to 27,790 tonnes, which Dubé says is particularly unusual considering butter stocks typically increase during the winter.

“It’s uncommon seeing butter stocks decline by 1,000 tonnes compared with February levels, so that’s an indication we may not be able to meet our 35,000-tonne target by the end of July 2021,” he says.

With COVID-19 restrictions expected to be lifted and the economy reopening, the dairy industry is preparing for a surge in demand this fall.

Dubé anticipates a strong fall period, followed by market conditions returning to where demand was before the pandemic, which was about a two to 2.5 per cent increase in demand per year.

Meanwhile, cheese stocks reached 107,900 tonnes in March 2021, which is an increase from previous months and closer to the 2019 level— partly due to additional cheese imports coming into Canada through various trade agreements.

National dairy product sales at the retail level remain strong. For the 52-weeks ending March

P10 UTILIZATION BY CLASS* For February 2021 (kg of butterfat/kg of solids non-fat)

1a1 1b 2a 2b4 2b5 3a1 3a2 3b2 3c1 3c2 3c4 3c6 3d 4a 4d 5a 5b 5c 5d

12.16%

22

% Revenue

*28.71%

26.14%

*7.49% *4.84% *1.92% *0.95% *0.85% *4.08%

15.84% 14.79%

*15.77% *0.66%

6.26%

*3.37% *8.07%

9.32%

*0.26% 3.30% 4.91%

*3.41% 16.81%

0.55%

3.58% 2.59% 2.89%

1.51% 1.45% 0.62% 0.00% 0.00%

0%

*

6.47%

3.20% 0.69% 1.84% 0.11% 0.79% 0.77% 3.23% 4.50%

0.28% 0.28%

% Solids non-fat

12.82%

2.47% 2.31%

0.68% 0.80% 2.81% 3.35%

% Butterfat

5%

21.34%

*14.15% *1.00% *1.65%

8.55%

*2.28% *0.53% *0.00%

10%

MAY 2021 | MILKPRODUCER

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

27, 2021, sales for fluid milk, fluid cream, yogurt, ice cream, cheese and butter increased by 5.2, 12.8, 1.5, 12.8, 10.7 and 14.9 per cent, respectively, compared with the previous 52-weeks.

Total national butterfat requirements for February 2021 reached 1.02 million kilograms per day. Meanwhile, total P10 milk production in February 2021 reached 1.11 million kg per day.

P5 boards’ primary objective is to continuously monitor the milk market situation and meet demand in the most optimal way. Given these uncertain times, P5 boards will continue to adapt production signals to address market changes, as required.

APRIL 2021 QUOTA EXCHANGE CANCELLED Due to the insufficient amount of quota for sale in Ontario, the April 2021 quota exchange was cancelled as per DFO’s policy. Producers whose bids or offers were cancelled will have to re-enter them on the May 2021 quota exchange if they wish to buy or sell quota.

Class 1a1 (includes Classes 1a2, 1a3, 1c and 1d for confidentiality reasons) Fluid milk and beverages Class 1b Fluid creams Class 2a Yogurt, yogurt beverages, kefir and lassi Class 2b4 (includes Classes 2b1, 2b2 and 2b3 for confidentiality reasons) Fresh dairy desserts, sour cream, milkshakes and sports nutrition drinks Class 2b5 Ice cream and frozen yogurt Class 3a1 Specialty cheese Class 3a2 Cheese curds and fresh cheeses Class 3b2 (includes Class 3b1 for confidentiality reasons) Cheddar cheese and aged cheddar Class 3c1 Feta Class 3c2 Asiago, Gouda, Havarti, Parmesan and Swiss Class 3c4 (includes Classes 3c3 and 3c5 for confidentiality reasons) Brick, Colby, farmer’s, jack, Monterey jack, muenster, pizza cheese, pizza mozzarella and mozzarella other than what falls within 3d.

Class 3c6 Paneer Class 3d Mozzarella used strictly on fresh pizzas by establishments registered with the Canadian Dairy Commission Class 4a Butter and powders Class 4d (includes Classes 4b1, 4b2, 4c and 4m for confidentiality reasons) Concentrated milk for retail, losses and animal feed Class 5a Cheese for further processing Class 5b Non-cheese products for further processing Class 5c Confectionery products Class 5d Planned exports

WWW.MILKPRODUCER.CA

APRIL PRICES

MONTHLY QUOTA PRICES ($/kg) PROVINCE

PRICE/kg

AMOUNT WANTED/kg

AMOUNT FOR SALE/kg

AMOUNT PURCHASED/kg

Alberta Saskatchewan British Columbia Manitoba

$47,525 $41,300 $36,500 $35,800

367.53 128.00 2,407.09 313.75

149.37 71.60 59.51 155.00

121.37 23.00 59.51 114.00

21,580.35 313.71 866.50 102.10 Exchange cancelled No clearing price established

313.09 102.10

Exchange cancelled

Ontario $24,000 $24,000

Quebec New Brunswick Nova Scotia Prince Edward Island

*Newfoundland does not operate a monthly quota exchange. Quota is traded between producers. **Quota cap price of $24,000 in effect in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Ontario, Nova Scotia and Quebec.

ONTARIO MONTHLY PRODUCER AVERAGE GROSS BLEND PRICE

Within quota

Overquota

$85

DFO administration DFO research CanWest DHI Transportation Market expansion

$0.625 $0.050 $0.060 $2.870 $1.400

$0.625 $0.050 $0.060 $2.870 $1.400

$80

Total deductions Average total net

$5.005 $76.137

$5.005 -$5.005

$75

WWW.MILKPRODUCER.CA

Mar 2021

Feb 2021

Jan 2021

Dec 2020

Nov 2020

Oct 2020

Sept 2020

Aug 2020

July 2020

P5 AND WESTERN MILK POOL BLEND PRICES* The graph below shows the 12-month blend price for the P5 provinces and Western Milk Pool (WMP).

82 *There is a three-month lag reporting these figures.

80

P5 blend price WMP blend price

78 76 74

WMP $79.01

Jan 2021

Feb 2021

Dec 2020

Oct 2020

Nov 2020

Sept 2020

Aug 2020

July 2020

May 2020

70

June 2020

72 Apr 2020

Source: USDA

A total 3,343 producers sold milk to DFO in March compared with 3,378 a year earlier.

Blend price in $/hL

The March 2021 Class III Price, US$16.15 per hundredweight, is equivalent to C$46.23 per hectolitre. This equivalent is based on the exchange rate US$1 = C$1.26111, the exchange rate when the USDA announced the Class III Price.

The Class III Price is in $ US per hundredweight at 3.5 per cent butterfat.

One hundredweight equals 0.44 hectolitres. Canadian Class 5a and Class 5b prices track U.S. prices set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

June 2020

Apr 2020

*These figures are based on Ontario’s average composition for March 2021 of 4.20 kg butterfat, 3.24 kg protein and 5.94 kg other solids, rounded to the nearest cent.

U.S. CLASS PRICES

$81.14

$70 May 2020

For March 2021

Mar 2020

ONTARIO DEDUCTIONS, PER HL

P5 $76.91

MILKPRODUCER | MAY 2021

23

COVER STORY

DIVERSIFYING FOR THE FUTURE

Canadian dairy farmers are always looking for opportunities to grow and diversify their operations.

In this month’s cover story, three dairy farm families across Canada share their growth and diversification stories.

24

MAY 2021 | MILKPRODUCER

WWW.MILKPRODUCER.CA

A NEW APPROACH TO OLD-TIME PRODUCTION

By Owen Roberts

CONTRIBUTOR

J

ust how far will travel-starved consumers go for cheese curds? That’s what Tom, Kris and Suzanne Pettit plan to find out this fall when they open the doors to Mistyglen Creamery, their artisan dairy near Belmont, Ont., about 15 minutes from London. They hope to attract day trippers far and wide, drawn by Mistyglen’s “homespun dairy” products, including yogurt, cream-top white milk, cream-top chocolate milk, kefir and one of the planet’s best driving snacks, cheese curds.

This spring, concrete footings were poured for their 4,000-square-foot processing facility and 700-sq.-ft. boutique retail outlet. Tom expects to use up to 4,000 litres of milk per month by the time the dairy opens in November 2021 and estimates a full one-third of that output will be dedicated to cheese curds.

“People everywhere are going wild for curds, buying bags of them,” he says. “We’re excited about the prospects of meeting consumer demand with our artisanal dairy.”

The Pettits are convinced a hunger exists in urban Canada for on-farm experiences and opportunities to learn about farming and how food is produced.

That’s why a key feature of Mistyglen Creamery will be live video feeds from cameras in each of the robotic milking pens, the calving pen and the housing stalls.

“The cameras will provide visitors with real-time, accurate depictions of what happens in a dairy,” Kris says. “It’s all about being transparent and showing dairy farmers have nothing to hide.”

Mistyglen Creamery will source all its milk from the family’s well-established 50 to 55 head Holstein herd. The Pettits have been a farming fixture in Belmont since the early 1800s when the family arrived from Pennsylvania, United States.

Their father began dairying in 1957, with Tom and his sister joining the operation after they graduated from what was then Ridgetown College

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of Agricultural Technology in 1999. Kris became part of the operation when she and Tom married in 2004. She works as a registered nurse and will transition to plant manager as the creamery takes off. On their 230-acre farm, they grow all their own high-quality forages, along with 50 acres of corn and some soybeans for cash crops.

The opening of the new facility will mark the beginning of processing and retail operations for the Pettits—and the end of a nearly seven-year journey.

They started considering on-farm processing in 2015 and drew up plans to expand significantly. But even though they secured financing, bought more land to grow additional feed and had a new robotic milking barn in place, something about a bigger operation just didn’t feel right.

“We’ve always been a relatively small operation,” Tom says. “We thought more about it and figured microprocessing was the way to go for us. That would be our unique niche—farm to table.”

When they scaled back their operation, they looked at a variety of building options, including a shipping container. However, it didn’t provide enough height for processing, so they worked with a contractor to design a suitable, more conventional facility. For construction, they’ve acted as their own project manager and subcontracted the trades.

The Pettits’ excitement about their new venture is palpable. Anticipating strong interest in their retail outlet, they’re adding 300 broiler chickens to sell as pasture-raised poultry, along with laying hens for eggs and some beef dairy crosses for roasts and other cuts. Through the Fanshawe Research and Innovation Centre, they’re developing a certified probiotic culture product that Kris envisioned— based on her medical training—would promote better gut health in humans.

And finally, this spring, they’ve added a handful of Jersey cows to their herd to boost the fat content in their milk tank. They figure that little tweak will appeal to their customers—and make the snack-fuelled drive home even more delicious.

Homespun dairy from Mistyglen Creamery targets consumers’ interest in the personal touch

FROM LEFT are Kadie and Maddie Pettit from Mistyglen Creamery.

MISTYGLEN CREAMERY will source all its milk from the family’s well-established 50 to 55 head Holstein herd.

MILKPRODUCER | APRIL 2021

29

COVER STORY

Bidalosy Farms’ approach to adding beef genetics wins admiration from fellow producers

ANDREW MCCURDY is the owner of Bidalosy Farms in Beaver Brook, N.S.

DAIRY FARMER NAMED NOVA SCOTIA’S CATTLE PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

F

rom a distance, it sounds ironic to name a dairy farmer as the province’s top cattle producer, but in Atlantic Canada, Andrew McCurdy from Bidalosy Farms in Beaver Brook, N.S., has carved out a stellar reputation as a forward thinker in the dairy beef business.

His dairy beef herd now includes 150 animals, mostly Angus, Limousin, Hereford and Speckle Park crosses with his Holsteins.

He’s proud to meet his quality grades and profitability targets, and cattle producers in Nova Scotia are happy to have him among their ranks.

“The Nova Scotia Cattle Producers proudly named Bidalosy Farms as this year’s Producer of the Year,” says Brad McCallum, Agri-Commodity Management Association’s executive director who works closely with Nova Scotia’s livestock sector. “Andrew and his team have taken a serious approach to adding value to his dairy operation by introducing beef genetics. Over the past two years, Andrew has been very open with sharing his experience and data to help (other producers) understand cost of production and management of dairy beef animals.”

The McCurdy family—Andrew, his wife, Maria, and their children, Therese, David, 26

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Christopher and Meaghan—milk 130 cows twice daily on their sixth-generation, 900-acre farm, 15 minutes outside of Truro, N.S. The origins of the farm date back to 1876.

McCurdy got into dairy beef when the price fell for bull calves not required for a dairy enterprise. “So, I decided to raise them for beef instead,” he says.

Like many dairy producers, McCurdy had been breeding a percentage of beef breeds into his dairy herd for a while. That meant he had some familiarity with beef animals when he started raising dairy beef. But he was eager to learn more and work with others in the beef community whom he found to be a willing source of management, production and veterinary advice.

“The beef producers I worked with were upbeat, optimistic, ready to tackle new problems and ready to work together,” he says. “They’ve been a very positive influence in my life.”

Abundant rainfall makes Atlantic Canada a great place to grow pasture grass. Livestock are an efficient way to make grass and silage crops profitable—“turning sunlight into cash,” McCurdy says. He believes dairy beef gives him another option, besides dairy cows, to use the region’s natural advantages.

Bidalosy Farms welcomes an average of 12 newborn calves a month. Inside the barn, calves are born in open, spacious pens with almost no intervention—a factor McCurdy attributes to their high health status. The calves spend a week in individual pens and then are introduced to the computer calf feeder. Almost all are dehorned and castrated before four weeks. Most beef crosses are polled.

Replacements and dairy beef are raised together until they reach about 400 to 500 pounds. Later, when the dairy beef animals weigh in at 1,500 lb (at about 20 months old), they’re sold for local processing or sent to Atlantic Beef Products in Prince Edward Island, grading mostly AAA. McCurdy is also involved in the Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) program, which nets him an extra two cents per pound, and he’s working with others to create a manual for VBP+ for dairy beef animals.

McCurdy says going from a dairyman to a cattleman required a change in mindset. “But philosophically, I’m a lifelong learner,” he says. “I’m learning a lot raising both dairy and beef herds, and I’m enjoying developing and diversifying my farm, taking on the challenges of raising dairy beef.”

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Customer appreciation makes on-farm sales rewarding

FROM LEFT are Caitlin, Roseanna, Stephanie, Ron, Selina and Lisa Smits.

LISA SMITS holding a cheese wheel in the Smits and Co.w processing facility.

LOTS OF WORK AND LOTS OF JOY FOR B.C. FARMER

E

xpand or add value: those were two options facing Chilliwack, B.C., dairy producer Ron Smits about 17 years ago when he decided to grow his dairy operation.

There’s no question he liked tending to his 60cow Holstein herd and perhaps increasing the size of his herd, but the thought of processing his own milk and selling it on-farm also held great appeal.

“I liked the idea of not just milking cows and shipping our milk for processing somewhere else,” he says.

So, he took the plunge, and today, he’s convinced he made the right decision. Chilliwack has grown significantly. In fact, the city is practically at his doorstep, meaning he has excellent access to a strong customer base for his on-farm operation—a rare example of urban sprawl actually working in agriculture’s favour.

And then there are the customers themselves.

“The appreciation people show toward our products is really rewarding,” he says. “There’s not a lot of money in processing, but what I’ve learned is connecting with customers makes it worthwhile.

It’s lots of work but lots of joy, too.”

Smits arrived in British Columbia from Holland in 1991. He worked with relatives who had already established a dairy farm, and in 1998, he went in business for himself. Out of curiosity, and with his operation’s growth in the

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back of his mind, he and his wife, Stephanie, tried making cheese in their home kitchen— Gouda, a variety he was familiar with from his upbringing in Holland.

“It worked well,” he remembers.

And with that, they we were off. Even that limited success was enough to instill confidence and further ignite their passion for processing.

But they didn’t let their enthusiasm override their business acumen. For the next four years, they advanced methodically and economically, seeking out used processing equipment, such as boilers and vats from breweries and other cheesemaking operations in Western Canada and abroad, making capital purchases that wouldn’t saddle them with too much debt.

In 2010, they opened the doors to Smits and Co.w Farm Cheese. The operation includes warehousing, a 600-square-foot processing plant with three vats—300, 900 and 1,800 litres each— and a 600-sq.-ft. retail outlet. “Processing is pretty straight forward,” Ron says, adding the key is to start with good milk, which in his case, comes from the family’s own herd.

Smits and Co.w Farm Cheese ships about 60 per cent of the milk produced by the herd, which still consists of 60 cows but now includes a few Brown Swiss and Fleckvieh. Due to customer demand, Smits figures in two years, his entire monthly

production will be dedicated to processing.

Currently, the family processes 21,000 L. That sounds like a reasonable forecast. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, product sales have skyrocketed. He now employs 13 people, mostly part-time, to handle production, processing and sales of the company’s many varieties of cheese, yogurt and quark. He has an idea market, with few other competing processing plants in the area, and an ethnic base looking for specific products.

To that end, he’s branched out to include feta and buffalo mozzarella, buying 3,000 L per month of goat milk and 600 L per month of water buffalo milk from nearby herds. And depending on the season, Smits and Co.w offers a variety of at least two dozen flavours of Gouda, including Japanese sesame and chilli pepper.

But it’s the original plain version of the classic Gouda that sells the best, at $8 to $9 per 300 grams.

“Customers are looking for quality—and they’re willing to pay for it,” Smits says.

Owen Roberts is a Guelph-based journalist and past-president of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists.

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CORN ROOTWORM AND BT RESISTANCE IN ONTARIO

By Tracey Baute

CONTRIBUTOR

C

orn rootworm (CRW) is a serious pest of continuous corn in Ontario. CRW larvae are the main concern since they clip roots and inhibit root growth, resulting in poor nutrient and water uptake in the plant. Significant yield loss occurs before these symptoms are even noticed. For every node of roots clipped, there is a 15 to 18 per cent yield loss.

Additional crop loss occurs when portions of the field lodge due to root clipping, making harvest difficult andor impossible.

There are two species of CRW in Ontario. Western corn rootworm adults are yellow with three wavy black stripes on their wings, while northern corn rootworm beetles are green. Adults emerge from the soil in midsummer and are attracted to corn when they are in the fresh silk stage, feeding on pollen, silk and leaves.

Once their native field has advanced, they move on to nearby corn fields that are planted later. In areas where most of the landscape is planted with corn, populations thrive, flying from field to field to feed and lay eggs, so resistant populations are often shared among neighbouring fields.

Most adults prefer to lay their eggs in corn fields, which is why continuous corn production increases rootworm populations. If these same fields rely solely on Bt hybrids for rootworm management, they are at increased risk of developing resistance. If corn is not planted in the same field the following year, the rootworm larvae starve and populations crash.

BT RESISTANT ROOTWORM IN ONTARIO

Extensive reports of injury on pyramid Bt rootworm (Bt-RW) hybrids in several Ontario counties in 2020 suggests cross resistance to multiple Bt rootworm proteins has developed under continuous corn production practices in Ontario. These observations are very similar to what United States growers experienced in 2013 before widespread cross resistance occurred.

There are only four Bt-RW proteins to control CRW (Table 1). Three of these proteins are closely related, so once CRW has developed resistance to one protein, they are able to tolerate the other two closely related proteins, even if they were never exposed to them before.

Most Bt-RW hybrids have two Bt rootworm proteins, known as pyramid hybrids containing two Bt proteins 28

MAY 2021 | MILKPRODUCER

Table 1: Pyramid Bt-RW hybrids registered in Canada. Excerpt from the 2020 Canadian Bt corn trait tables, available at www.cornpest.ca Trade name

Bt-RW proteins

Agrisure 3122

mCry3A + Cry34/35Ab1

Agrisure Duracade 5122

mCry3A + eCry3.1Ab

Agrisure Duracade 5222

mCry3A + eCry3.1Ab

Optimum AcreMax XTreme

Cry34/35Ab1 + mCry3A

Qrome

Cry34/35Ab1 + mCry3A

SmartStax

Cry3Bb1 + Cry34/35Ab1

SmartStax Enlist

Cry3Bb1 + Cry34/35Ab1

SmartStax Refuge Advanced

Cry3Bb1 + Cry34/35Ab1

specifically targeting CRW. With only four Bt-RW proteins available, many of the Bt-RW hybrids share similar pairings of closely related Bt-RW proteins.

Repeated use of these hybrids in the landscape has resulted in multiple field failures, regardless of which company supplied the Bt-RW hybrid, so rotating Bt-RW hybrids is not going to solve this resistant CRW issue.

SHORT-TERM MITIGATION

Bt resistance will remain in the CRW population from now on. In high-risk areas of continuous corn production where repeated use of Bt-RW hybrids is prevalent, measures need to be taken to reduce the risk of widespread resistance.

Rotating crops out of corn in high-risk areas for at least one or preferably two years is the most effective mitigation strategy since there will be fewer fields for the resistant adults to lay eggs and fewer offspring will survive the following year.

Any non-corn crop can be considered. For livestock producers, viable alternatives to silage, grain and high moisture corn exist. These alternative options will be further discussed in this series on Bt resistance.

Producers should always consult their livestock nutritionist and agronomist before deciding what direction to take.

If rotating away from corn can’t happen in 2021, make efforts to do so in 2022. Land swapping with cash W W W.MILK PRODUCER.CA

Editor’s note: In 2020, certain Ontario regions experienced high corn rootworm pressure that challenged current Bt rootworm hybrids. In regions where Bt rootworm corn hybrids have been used for more than three consecutive years, resistance among corn rootworm populations is suspected. To assist producers in addressing this issue and rotating away from silage corn, Milk Producer is publishing a series of articles provided by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. This is the first article in the four-part series. croppers who follow a three-year rotation is also an option if their field did not have corn the previous year. CRW won’t be present in those fields. If producers must plant corn, the next best option is to plant only Bt hybrids above ground, such as European corn borer or western bean cutworm, which don’t contain Bt-RW proteins. If planting into a continuous corn field that is at high risk of rootworm injury, use a soil applied or high-rate insecticide seed treatment for root protection.

Finally, if producers must use a Bt-RW hybrid in 2021, ensure it’s a pyramid hybrid (two Bt-RW proteins) but plan to monitor for any potential signs of resistance. Report any unexpected injury to the seed provider and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

LONG-TERM CRW MANAGEMENT

Once the corn rootworm populations are lowered through crop rotation, producers need to focus on more sustainable CRW management. Bt-RW hybrids should not be

WESTERN (left) and northern (right) corn rootworm adults have been increasingly prevalent in Ontario over the last several years.

Photo courtesy of Tracey Baute

considered the primary solution for CRW management in continuous corn production going forward. They need to be used only in

higher risk CRW years and in combination of other CRW management strategies, including crop rotation.

Rotating crops out of corn at least once every four years will kill CRW populations and enable the first and potentially second year of corn in those fields to go without any CRW protection. Bt-RW hybrids can then be used in the third year of corn, when CRW risk is highest. This approach ensures CRW are only being exposed to Bt-RW proteins one in four years, significantly reducing the risk of resistant individuals building up in the population and helps maintain the durability of Bt-RW hybrids. This strategy will only be successful if fields are rotated out of corn at least once every four years.

Tracey Baute is a field crop entomologist at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs-Ridgetown.

SIGNIFICANT CROP lodging and goosenecking in a silage field planted with a BtRW pyramid hybrid in 2020 near Blyth, Ont. Growers experienced more than 50 per cent yield loss likely due to Bt-RW resistance.

This article is prepared by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs livestock technology specialists to provide information producers can use on their farm.

Photo courtesy of Jocelyn Smith WWW.MILKPRODUCER.CA

MILKPRODUCER | MAY 2021

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HYPOCALCEMIA:

HOW CAN PRODUCERS AND MINIMIZE ITS IMPAC

By Steven Roche

CONTRIBUTOR

M

ilk fever, or clinical hypocalcemia, caused by low levels of calcium in the blood, occurs commonly on dairy farms. Studies suggest around 2.5 per cent of dairy cows will become clinically ill and show signs of the disease.

However, those same studies suggest 25 per cent of cows in their first lactation and 50 per cent of cows in their second or greater lactation will have low blood levels of calcium but not show any clinical signs—they’ll experience subclinical hypocalcemia.

Having low levels of calcium in the blood after calving, whether it’s clinical or subclinical, has been found to significantly impact transition disease. Specifically, dystocia, uterine prolapse, retained placenta, metritis, displaced abomasum, ketosis and mastitis are more likely in cows with hypocalcemia.

Beyond the short-term consequences, cows that have hypocalcemia are also more likely to have reduced milk production and more likely to be culled. Producers need to focus on preventative strategies to prevent the occurrence of hypocalcemia.

STRATEGIES TO PREVENT HYPOCALCEMIA Focusing on providing a well-balanced ration prior to calving and supplementing calcium after calving will help prevent hypocalcemia.

It’s important to note most of the strategies discussed below have been shown to effectively prevent clinical hypocalcemia, but more research is needed to explore avenues to prevent subclinical hypocalcemia.

NUTRITIONAL STRATEGIES Feeding a low-calcium diet in the dry cow period 30

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helps create a calcium deficit, which can set the cow’s body to naturally produce calcium to respond to the demands of lactation after calving.

To create a calcium deficit, cows need to consume less than 20 grams of calcium per day, which can be extremely challenging. The use of calcium binders, such as zeolite, can be used to bind calcium in the rumen and mimic feeding a diet low in calcium.

Using calcium binders for two to three weeks prior to calving results in increased blood calcium levels after calving, leading to a lower level of subclinical and clinical hypocalcemia. Calcium binders certainly have benefits, but more research is needed to understand the optimal length of time to supplement and the long-term effects on health and performance.

Negative dietary cation anion difference (DCAD) diets fed three weeks prior to calving have been used to minimize hypocalcemia after calving. This diet works by creating a mild level of acidosis, which allows the bones to better absorb calcium and reduces calcium excretion through urine.

Feeding a DCAD diet has been shown to reduce clinical and subclinical hypocalcemia, as well as retained placenta and metritis. Studies have shown providing a DCAD diet leads to higher yields of milk in second and greater lactation cows. However, feeding a DCAD diet to heifers prior to calving either had no impact on milk yield or reduced fat production, suggesting it may not be helpful for this group.

To ensure the effectiveness of the DCAD diet in causing mild metabolic acidosis, producers should monitor urine pH. For Holsteins, the ideal pH range is between 6.2 to 6.8, whereas for Jerseys, it should be between 5.8 to 6.3.

It’s extremely important to monitor urine pH to ensure these targets are met since DCAD diets are not without risk. When urine pH is less than 5.5, it could lead to severe metabolic

acidosis, which reduces feed intake and can lead to issues with transition cow health. If the acid-base status is not well monitored, these targets may not be met, leading to a reduced effectiveness of the program. In short, monitoring is critical.

CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTATION AFTER CALVING The goal of a supplementation strategy is to provide cows with an immediate source of calcium that covers the time between the start of lactation to when calcium demands decrease, which can be done with the use of an oral calcium bolus.

The use of oral calcium supplementation requires targeted supplementation to have the greatest benefit. Multiparous cows that are lame or had previous lactations with very high levels of production are among those that benefit most from calcium boluses soon after calving.

Specific benefits when using an oral bolus in this group include a reduced risk of subclinical hypocalcemia, lower risk of mastitis in the first 60 days in milk, improved milk production in the first 30 days in milk and improved reproductive performance.

It’s important to highlight these calcium boluses likely should not be given to heifers since it has been shown to increase the risk of metritis and reduce reproductive performance. As well, not all boluses marketed are created equally, and it’s important to consider their formulation.

The goal of bolus supplementation is to provide a large quantity of calcium that is absorbed over a long period, leading to a steady and long-lasting increase in calcium, which is best completed with a mix of rapidly absorbed (calcium chloride) and slowly absorbed (calcium sulfate) calcium salts.

It’s important to note the use of intravenous calcium on cows that are not down with clinical hypocalcemia is not warranted and W W W.MILK PRODUCER.CA

ONBOARDING 2021: WILL YOU BE READY TO TRAIN NEW HIRES ON THE FARM?

By Workplace Safety & Prevention Services

CONTRIBUTOR

PREVENT CT?

F

can have negative effects, including a rebound hypocalcemia. Talk to a veterinarian about what prevention and treatment strategy is best for the herd.

TAKEAWAY MESSAGES Hypocalcemia is both common and costly, so every effort should be made to prevent its occurrence. Dietary manipulation in the dry cow period using a calcium binder or feeding a DCAD diet can be effective in preventing hypocalcemia.

The use of calcium boluses can also be effective, especially in multiparous cows that are lame or were very high producers in their previous lactation. Producers should work with their veterinarian and nutritionist to tackle this on their farm.

Steven Roche is the director and principal consultant at ACER Consulting.

or most of us in agriculture, spring marks the true beginning of the new year, and with it, comes a long list of tasks that need attending to. While it may not appear to be as crucial as equipment maintenance or fixing a fence, planning and executing proper employee onboarding certainly is important—and it needs to start as soon as possible.

Some organizations have new employees participate in training online, while others execute in-person learning in advance of their start dates. But getting them acquainted with the fundamentals should begin with their first day on the job.

COVID-19 CHANGES THE LANDSCAPE

This year’s plan will look much different than previous years since COVID-19 was still very new early last spring. New topics will earn their place in onboarding plans for 2021, including more robust cleaning, physical distancing, personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements, daily prescreening and new levels of hygiene relating to shared tools.

Hand sanitizing stations, PPE dispensers, fire extinguishers and emergency exit locations must be pointed

COVID-19 HUB FOR AGRICULTURE The COVID-19 pandemic is creating unique challenges for the agricultural community. The new Workplace Safety & Prevention Services’ COVID-19 hub for agriculture contains critical information, resources and updates to help employers ensure the safety of their workers during this time. Visit the hub at covid19.wsps.ca. out to new employees.

SAFETY TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

Safety training must cover topics related to the employee’s understanding of everyone’s role in the internal responsibility system (IRS) and worker rights.

Orientation needs to also include job-specific hazard training—teaching employees to work safely with the hazards they will be exposed to in the workplace in general, as well as those specific to their particular job. They need to be trained on the correct, most safe way to do their job before they are left alone to do their work.

This is often an onboarding task that can slip between the cracks.

Continued on page 32

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FARM MANAGEMENT

managers just doing standard company overview presentations followed by site walks identifying key locations and hazards. Creating a good plan is a comprehensive process. The best plans are based on checklists that make sure new and returning workers are aware of all information critical to their safety.

They include areas, such as health and safety policy, violence, harassment, first aid procedure and an introduction to health and safety representatives. Once completed and signed off, they provide an excellent record should any unfortunate incidents occur.

Workplace Safety & Prevention Services offers a checklist employers can use to develop their plan, which can be accessed at http://wsps.news/checklist.

Onboarding 2021: Will you be ready to train new hires on the farm?, cont’d from page 31 In the case of new or young workers, make sure they are provided with theoretical and practical training to ensure safe and effective job execution.

HAVING A PLAN

When the ball really gets rolling each spring, competing demands present themselves. It can feel like everything is happening at the same time with so many tasks to do and a small window to get it all done.

Having a methodical, orderly approach to onboarding and training can make a difference, which is why having a plan is important.

Good onboarding plans are not based on This article was prepared by Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS). For more information, visit www.wsps.ca or contact WSPS at customercare@wsps.ca.

The Orientation on Health & Safety for New Agricultural Workers eCourse is a good resource for new workers. For more information, visit http://wsps.news/orientation.

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MAY 2021 | MILKPRODUCER

CALCULATE O THE NEXT EQU

By Amanda Kerr

CONTRIBUTOR

T

here is one fundamental rule that must be followed to justify the ownership of any machine: use it.

That advice comes in a fact sheet from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), prepared by John Molenhuis, a business analyst and cost of production specialist with OMAFRA.

UPGRADE: NEED OR WANT? Depreciation costs, the cost of borrowing and the cost of insurance stay roughly the same whether you use the machine a little or a lot.

Therefore, the cost per hour or per acre is much higher on a machine that sees limited use, and you would probably be better off renting a machine for short periods of time or hiring someone to do the work.

“We always wish more producers would crunch numbers,” Molenhuis says. “They should calculate whether they can justify the purchase rather than just calculating whether they can afford it.”

He says buying bigger equipment than you need may be a reasonable strategy to reduce weather risk for time-sensitive operations, but it comes with a price tag. Another question worth asking is whether you should lease or buy the equipment you need.

The fact sheet includes information on how to calculate the trade-in values as a percentage of new cost. A 10-year-old combine is worth only 25 per cent of new value according to the chart, whereas a 10-year-old tractor is worth 32 to 37 per cent depending on its size.

The fact sheet also helps producers calculate the accumulated repair costs as a percentage of purchase price. This chart shows on a twowheel drive tractor, you could expect to pay 6.2 per cent of purchase price in repairs by the time the tractor has 3,000 hours. By 6,000 hours, W W W.MILK PRODUCER.CA

OPERATING COSTS BEFORE UIPMENT PURCHASE the accumulated repair bill is estimated at 25 per cent and by 9,000 hours, the repair bill is more than 56 per cent of the purchase price.

There are also formulas for estimating fuel and lubrication costs, as well as storage and insurance.

TRY ONLINE COST CALCULATORS OMAFRA has an online equipment cost calculator, as does Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (AAFRD). Ted Nibourg, a business management specialist with AAFRD, says the three Prairie provinces are exploring ways to work together to keep up with changes in equipment costs.

“For many producers, number crunching comes down to sitting across from their sales rep and negotiating the purchase price,” Nibourg says. “They don’t work out what a piece of equipment costs per acre or per hour of use, but this is valuable information to have from a management perspective.”

The machinery cost calculators provided by Ontario and Alberta are a good starting point, but they contain many generalized costing assumptions that may not be accurate for your farm.

DETAILED RECORDS PAY OFF The best numbers are your own. Rod Edgar from R2D2 Farm Ltd. in Wolseley, Sask., is especially diligent with his cost information, keeping track of repair costs for each piece of equipment.

A maintenance record accompanies a piece This article is reprinted with permission from the author and Farm Credit Canada.

of equipment when it’s sold, and Edgar believes this increases the salvage value.

When equipment is sold, Edgar updates his salvage value number, which adjusts the overall cost per acre. Over time, he has become accurate with his estimates.

“My current combine has a fixed cost of $10 an acre with the straight cut header and $8.50 an acre if I’m using the pick-up header,” Edgar says. This includes the cost of money, but not fuel or labour, which he allocates into overhead costs.

“There’s sticker shock with the rising price of new equipment or even good used equipment, but the cost per acre can actually stay about

the same after you do an equipment upgrade,” Edgar says.

He admits his strength is farm management rather than mechanics, so he runs a relatively new line of equipment. Running older equipment may or may not reduce fixed costs.

Depreciation is reduced, but this may be offset by increased repair bills.

You can’t manage what you don’t measure, and farm equipment costs are a prime example where measurement is a valuable tool.

To view the OMAFRA fact sheet, visit https://bit.ly/3gbCJdo. To access AAFRD’s online equipment calculator, visit https:// bit.ly/3aaVtpf.

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UMBILICAL HEALTH: A HIDDEN CHALLENGE

By Dave Renaud

CONTRIBUTOR

U

mbilical infections can be a costly and common disease in young calves. Several recent studies in Canada and the United States have found between 19 to 27 per cent of calves can be affected with an enlarged or abnormal umbilicus.

WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF AN UMBILICAL INFECTION? Umbilical infections can cause a variety of short- and long-term consequences for heifer calves. They also result in increased costs of treatment related to labour and drug expenses. Navel infections have also been associated with an increased risk of umbilical hernias, other calf diseases and mortality, along with reduced growth rates and decreased survival in the herd. For male dairy calves, the consequences are similar. Calves arriving at a veal facility with an umbilical infection are much more likely to die and have a reduced weight.

Based on these consequences, estimated treatment costs and production losses is approximately $40 per calf with an umbilical infection.

WHY DO UMBILICAL INFECTIONS OCCUR? The umbilical cord has blood flow directed to it during pregnancy since it is responsible for the in-flow and out-flow of nutrients and waste products to the fetus.

During birth, the umbilical cord will rupture, leaving the end of the cord open to contamination by bacteria. Normally, if the umbilical cord does not become infected, the cord will dry and the umbilical structures inside the abdomen will shrink.

However, when the umbilicus becomes contaminated, the cord provides a pathway for bacteria into the body to cause an infection, not only at the umbilical cord but also the liver, kidney and other organs that are connected to this structure. Bacteria can enter the bloodstream (septicemia) through this pathway and cause an infection in the joints, resulting in pain and further health complications.

IDENTIFYING UMBILICAL INFECTIONS Several recent studies have shown despite a high prevalence of umbilical infections, very few are treated, suggesting there could be underdiagnosis of this condition.

To identify umbilical infections, it’s necessary to feel the umbilicus to evaluate its size and the presence of pain, heat or discharge. Specifically, if the umbilicus is more than 1.3 centimetres in diameter or is hot or painful (calf flinches when it is touched), and there’s pus or foul-smelling discharge, the calf has an umbilical infection. Producers should work with their veterinarian to determine the most appropriate treatments to address this condition.

It’s also important to note in the new transport regulations, male dairy calves need to have a dry and healed umbilical cord in order to be transported. Therefore, calves with an unhealed, enlarged or infected umbilical cord cannot be transported.

PREVENTING UMBILICAL INFECTIONS To prevent umbilical infections, the focus should be placed on minimizing contact between the umbilical cord and bacteria. At calving, the umbilical cord is most susceptible to bacterial contamination, so ensuring the calving area is as clean as possible and free of manure is critical. In addi34

MAY 2021 | MILKPRODUCER

ACCORDING TO amendments made to the Health of Animals Regulations, Part XII Transport of Animals, male dairy calves need to have a dry and healed umbilical cord in order to be transported.

Photo courtesy of Veal Farmers of Ontario

tion, the area that calves are moved to after calving should also be clean, dry and free of manure.

Another important area to consider is colostrum management since calves with failed transfer of passive immunity have a much greater risk of developing an umbilical infection. To maximize transfer of immunoglobulins, calves need to be provided with ample quantity of colostrum (three to four litres at first feeding), that is of good quality (greater than 50 grams per litre immunoglobulin G or greater than 22 per cent on a Brix refractometer, which can be used to measure colostrum quality), clean (low bacterial contamination) and fed promptly after birth (ideally within four hours).

Beyond ensuring excellent colostrum management and cleanliness in the calving and housing area, navel dipping with iodine or chlorhexidine is often a preventative measure for umbilical infections. There is variable evidence to document the benefits of this practice. More work is needed to confirm whether this is useful and ensuring a clean environment with excellent colostrum management is best practice.

TAKE-HOME MESSAGES Umbilical infections occur commonly in calves and have both short- and long-term consequences. To identify them, it’s necessary to feel the umbilicus to evaluate size, heat, pain and discharge. Because of the potential consequences, prevention is critical, which starts immediately after calving.

Ensuring passive transfer of immunity and maintaining clean calving and calf housing areas is critical. Producers should with their veterinarian to develop a plan to manage umbilical infections on their farm.

This project was funded by the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year federal-provincial-territorial initiative.

Dave Renaud is an associate consultant with ACER Consulting Ltd. and a veterinary epidemiologist in the department of population medicine at the University of Guelph.

Calf Care Corner delivers the latest information and ideas to help you improve the way calves are raised on your farm. If you have any comments or questions about Calf Care Corner, send an email to info@calfcare.ca. Follow Calf Care Corner on Facebook and Twitter @CalfCareCorner, and sign up for monthly e-blasts at www.calfcare.ca.

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DAIRY RESEARCH DAIRY RESEARCH

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CANADA AMONG THE FIRST TO INTRODUCE GENETIC EVALUATIONS FOR FEED EFFICIENCY

By Caeli Richardson and Brian Van Doormaal

CONTRIBUTORS

M

ore than half of your production expenses are related to feed, and most of your time on-farm is spent ensuring every aspect of your feed is optimized—from increasing forage yield to minimizing storage waste to perfecting your rations and feeding systems. You may be making the most out of your feed, but can you say the same for your cows?

Feed efficiency is how you measure your cow’s ability to convert feed at the bunk to milk in the tank. Animals all use feed differently and in different amounts, which means we have an opportunity to improve efficiency by using genetic selection. Lactanet Canada’s goal is to identify the most feed efficient animals and use them to create the next generation.

An animal’s feed efficiency is measured by looking at the difference between how much you think your animal will eat compared with what they actually eat. A cow that eats less than expected for her level of production without losing body condition is more efficient. Using this idea, we can account for the differences in feed consumption we see between animals due to their production level or body weight and target the true metabolic feed efficiency.

The problem is data targeting true metabolic efficiency isn’t widely available. Feed efficiency is complex, and it’s influenced by many biological mechanisms. It requires in-depth, detailed records on many characteristics of the cow. The most important are individual daily dry matter intake, which is expensive and labour-intensive to measure, as well as body weight.

Thanks to the introduction of new 36

MAY 2021 | MILKPRODUCER

advanced technologies, such as genomics, and collaborations with other countries for data, we can now start to target the true metabolic efficiency of dairy cattle. Lactanet was involved in funding a major international research initiative, led by Canadian scientists working to combine data from different countries to make genetic tools that improve feed efficiency in dairy cattle a reality.

Starting with the April 2021 genetic evaluation release, feed efficiency evaluations will be available for all Holstein females that are part of the animal inventory reported to Lactanet for herds enrolled on its milking recording services, including eDHI. For sires, genotyped Holstein sires in artificial insemination will also have feed efficiency published. We use raw data from Canada and other countries to help make our published feed efficiency relative breeding values (RBVs) as reliable as possible by including data collected on cows in both research and commercial herds.

Like all functional traits, feed efficiency will be expressed as an RBV with an average of 100 and general range from 85 to 115. For sires, the higher the RBV, the more efficient their daughters are expected to be in converting feed to milk production. This new trait targets feed efficiency in cows after peak lactation, minimizing stress during the transition period.

For every five-point increase in a sire’s RBV for feed efficiency, the daughters are expected to reduce their total dry matter intake after peak lactation by 60 kilograms.

Evaluations for feed efficiency in the United States and Australia have been expressed as feed saved. In the U.S., published evaluations reflect a combination of the reduced feed used by animals that are efficient, as well as lower feed consumption normally required

Starting with the April 2021 genetic evaluation release, feed efficiency evaluations will be available for all Holstein females that are part of the animal inventory reported to Lactanet for herds enrolled on its milking recording services, including eDHI. by animals of smaller body size due to lower maintenance costs.

Canada’s new feed efficiency evaluation focuses on selection for improved biological efficiency without affecting production levels, body size or transition period. In early lactation, cows are already under a lot of stress as they transition from dry cows to the new energy demands of lactation. Feed efficiency in Canada avoids decreasing dry matter intake in early lactation and is aimed at preventing a negative energy balance.

Using the collective global data, Canada now has a genetic selection tool for improving feed efficiency. Using feed efficiency RBVs is a simple, non-intrusive way of ensuring your cows are making the most of their feed.

Caeli Richardson is the KTT genetics expert at Lactanet Canada.

Brian Van Doormaal is the chief services officer at Lactanet Canada.

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LIVESTOCK RESEARCH NEEDS MORE COLLABORATIVE APPROACHES

By Lilian Schaer CONTRIBUTOR

M

any issues facing livestock farmers are complex and multifaceted—and solutions sometimes require a broad spectrum of expertise that extends beyond individual species.

That’s why Livestock Research Innovation Corporation (LRIC), commodity organizations and the research community are increasingly turning to a cross-sectoral approach to research. That can mean including processors and retailers alongside farmers and researchers, or collaborating within or across multiple research disciplines to work on issues, such as antimicrobial resistance or gut health. Not only does this reduce research duplication, but it also encourages new thinking about possible solutions.

While more challenging to bring together, these partnerships have proven to be very effective, says Dr. Jeffrey Wichtel, dean of the Ontario Veterinary College. A leading example is the University of Guelph’s (U of G) new One Health Institute, where Wichtel chairs the advisory board. The institute works across disciplines to address health challenges, such as antimicrobial resistance that impact human, animal and environmental life.

“Antimicrobial resistance is an excellent example because of the urgency of the issue and the potential long-term public health concern.

No sector can do that on its own, and you have to collaborate with human health and public health,” Wichtel says.

Academic research projects and programs are traditionally set up along departmental lines within colleges, which doesn’t encourage broader collaborations. Several successful initiatives already in

This article is provided by Livestock Research Innovation Corporation as part of its ongoing efforts to drive innovation in the livestock sector. For more information about LRIC, visit www.livestockresearch.ca.

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place at U of G demonstrate the value of working together, but more can be done to harness the true benefit of cross-sectoral research.

“It’s important to talk about how we can change those structures, incentives and processes to encourage more collaboration,” Wichtel says.

“Where things work well is where there are incentives for people to work together.”

That’s where Dr. Rene Van Acker, dean of the Ontario Agricultural College, believes LRIC and livestock organizations can harness their government relationships to seek support for agricultural research and innovation needs.

Government support includes continued funding for research programs and infrastructure, but also encouraging change in how those research programs are structured and including incentives for collaboration, which will result in society-wide benefits.

“I don’t think we see ourselves enough in the reality of what our sector is really all about,” Van Acker says. “Research and innovation that helps Canadian farmers results in the protection and improvement of the health of Canadians and of our shared environment and economic growth—and that’s what we all want.”

Soil health could benefit from a collaborative approach because of its crucial role in sustaining farm productivity and direct links to the carbon cycle, greenhouse gases and climate change. And as society’s view of animals continues to change, there is tremendous benefit to be gained from a collaborative, cross-sectoral approach to welfare.

Van Acker and Wichtel are both members of the Deans Council – Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Medicine, which has started working more closely with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Food and Beverage Canada and other national organizations to encourage cross-sectoral solutions.

LRIC leads the development of an annual list of cross-sectoral research priorities for the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance Research Program, previously the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs – University of Guelph Partnership.

The organization has also introduced a mentorship program for new U of G faculty to connect with and learn about the livestock sector, and recently launched a Horizon Series of white papers and webinars on leading issues.

“Every livestock sector—large or small—values research and innovation. I hear from them, academia and government that we want more cross-sector research initiatives,” says Mike McMorris, chief executive officer of LRIC. “Our Horizon Series highlights the top areas with potential for cross-sectoral research and will hopefully stimulate some follow-up action.”

He says Dairy Farmers of Ontario is already taking steps in this direction, with the organization currently jointly supporting two projects with Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO).

Professor Erica Pensini from the department of engineering at U of G is leading one of the projects on developing bale and silage wrap from inexpensive yet robust biomaterials, and professor Ron Johnson from the department of biomedical sciences at the Ontario Veterinary College is leading the other project on examining withdrawal times for dexamethasone in dairy and beef cattle.

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INSIGHT INTO HOW B VITAMINS CAN HELP DAIRY COWS COPE WITH HEAT STRESS

By Dr. Ousama AlZahal CONTRIBUTOR

O

ne of the characteristics that make ruminants unique puts them at a greater risk of heat stress.

Ruminants rely mainly on microbes in the rumen to ferment undigestible feeds into useful energy. However, microbial fermentation generates a considerable amount of heat, and the heat load within the rumen can cause an increase in ruminal temperature, especially after feeding.

The amount of heat generated in the rumen is affected by the type of feed and rate of microbial fermentation. Rapidly fermentable carbohydrates can increase the ruminal temperature to above

40 degrees Celsius a few hours after feeding.

AlZahal et al., 2008, demonstrated spikes in ruminal temperature after feeding can be used as an indicator to predict ruminal pH and the risk of subacute ruminal acidosis.

In addition to the heat of fermentation, heat is also generated from metabolic functions, such as energy generated by nutrient digestion and absorption, cellular processes, etc.

Therefore, ruminants have a higher heat load and lower thermotolerance threshold than non-ruminant animals.

The temperature threshold for dairy cows is a combination of ambient temperature and humidity or temperature humidity index (THI). A THI of 68 (22 C and 45 per cent humidity) may feel optimal for humans, but it’s the point at which cows begin to experience

Figure 1: The different phases of heat stress for cattle as defined by the temperature humidity index (THI)

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heat stress (Figure 1).

At a high THI, cows struggle to get rid of heat efficiently, which increases their core body temperature and leads to lower feed intake, lower milk production and poorer reproductive performance. There are several management interventions to mitigate the impact of heat stress, such as cooling systems, breeding toward heat-tolerant breeds, feeding management and nutritional strategies. This article focuses on the supplementation of B vitamins to offset the negative effects of heat stress.

Heat stress impacts cows at all production stages, and early lactation cows are at great risk.

Heat stress lowers their feed intake, resulting in an even greater negative energy balance. The outcome are greater weight loss, lower milk peaks and delayed reproduction.

Mid-lactation cows will produce less milk and milk component yield. Dry cows under heat stress will have impaired udder development,

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resulting in lost milk in subsequent lactations, compromised immunity, resulting in transition health challenges and impaired fetal development, which can result in low birth weight calves. Well-documented slumps in conception and pregnancy rates during and after heat stress periods are the result of poor estrus and impaired oocyte quality.

Overall reduction in productivity during heat stress is only partly explained by depressed feed intake. Significant changes in metabolic function, nutrient partitioning and cell longevity explain much of the remaining reduction in productivity.

A recent genomic study, conducted by Garner et al., 2020, was designed to understand the adaptation of the cows’ udder to heat stress.

The results showed heat stress accelerated the inflammatory response and changed the metabolism of fat and energy. Their data provided genomic evidence that the udder changes to adapt to heat stress, primarily the production of antioxidants. Antioxidants counteract the negative metabolic byproducts of heat stress.

Researchers found genes related to folic acid metabolism—an essential B vitamin—were altered. Studies reported circulating levels of folic acid are reduced during heat stress. The authors concluded supplementing folic acid in the diet during heat stress can reduce oxidative stress in the mammary gland, helping minimize the negative impact of heat stress on milk production.

Research conducted at the University of Delaware by Gressley et al., 2018, confirmed a synergy between different B vitamins on heat stress.

Researchers tested the effect of a specific blend of rumen-protected B vitamins (Jefo rumen-protected B vitamin blend for lactation) on milk and component yields during a period of intense heat stress.

Cows fed the treatment of protected B vitamins (THI = 83) produced 3.8 kilograms more milk. Milk was corrected for energy and adjusted to 150 days in milk (Figure 2). The control group was fed unprotected biotin.

Commercial trials conducted during the hot summer season in California and Mexico demonstrated lactating cows supplemented with rumen-protected B vitamins had greater milk and component yields and improved reproductive performance compared with non-supplemented cows. These results show supplementing dairy cows with rumen-protected B vitamins can help cows overcome the negative impact of heat stress.

In conclusion, heat stress can impact the well-being and productivity of dairy cows. Numerous management and nutritional strategies are available to lessen the negative impact of heat stress on dairy cows. By implementing innovative, essential nutrients, such as rumen-protected B vitamins, cows will have the ability to tolerate heat stress and minimize losses in milk yield and reproductive performance.

References: AlZahal, O., E. Kebreab, J. France, M. Froetschel, and B. W. McBride.

2008. Ruminal temperature may aid in the detection of subacute ruminal acidosis. J. Dairy Sci. 91:202-207.

Collier, R., L. Hall, S. Rungruang, and R. Zimbelman. 2012. Quantifying Heat Stress and Its Impact on Metabolism and Performance. Proc. Florida Ruminant Nutrition Symp.

Garner, J. B., A. J. Chamberlain, C. Vander Jagt, T. T. T. Nguyen, B. A. Mason, L. C. Marett, B. J. Leury, W. J. Wales, and B. J. Hayes. 2020. Gene expression of the heat stress response in bovine peripheral white blood cells and milk somatic cells in vivo. Sci Rep. 10:19181.

Gressley, T. F., I. C. Shivas, and H. Leclerc. 2018. Milk and components response of dairy cows when supplement with a rumen protected B vitamins blend during heat stress. J. Dairy Sci. 101(Suppl. 2):306.

WWW.MILKPRODUCER.CA

Figure 2: Supplementing a rumen-protected B vitamin blend for Lactanet can alleviate the impact of heat stress on milk production (Gressley et al., 2018)

Ousama AlZahal is president and founder of AlZahal Innovation & Nutrition.

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DAIRY RESEARCH

A REVIEW OF TRANSITION COW NUTRITION AND CONTROLLED ENERGY DIETS

By Michelle Linington CONTRIBUTOR

P

roviding proper care and nutrition to transition cows ensures a problem-free lactation and herd. The transition period occurs between late gestation and the onset of lactation. This is the time when there is a rapid increase in metabolic and nutrient demands.

Cardoso et al, 2020, recently completed a study on the nutritional strategies for improved health, production and fertility during the transition period. The study shows not meeting the cow’s needs during the transition period can leave the animal predisposed to metabolic disorders (ketosis, acidosis and displaced abomasum), infections (metritis and mastitis) and calving disorders (dystocia, retained placenta and decreased fertility). Failure to meet the animal’s needs can be costly, and it’s important to remember prevention is often cheaper than a cure.

Negative energy balances occur when the cow is not ingesting enough energy to meet her energy needs. Though there is no direct link between milk yield and disease occurrence, researchers see the highest milk yield and disease occurrence at the greatest times of negative energy balance.

Typically, the largest negative energy balances are seen in the transition period. Negative energy balances are linked to poor reproductive performance, fatty liver, ketosis, milk fever, retained placenta, displaced abomasum, metritis and mastitis.

Peak disease incidence corresponds with the time of greatest negative energy balance and a peak in blood concentrates of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA). NEFA is a type of fat molecule that provides energy to the body, but in large quantities, it can have toxic effects.

Telltale signs that negative energy balances may be an issue on the farm include loss of milk production, increased incidence of disease and decreased fertility.

Over-conditioned animals face similar issues to animals that have a large negative energy balance. Animals that are fed a highenergy ration during the dry period can face similar side effects to animals that are in a 40

MAY 2021 | MILKPRODUCER

negative energy balance. Animals that have not gained body condition but have still overconsumed energy can experience the same effects to animals that have gained body condition.

There are several nutritional strategies that can be used during the dry and transition period to optimize the cow’s nutrition. Strategies, such as feeding high-quality forages, controlled energy diets and negative dietary cation anion difference (DCAD) diets prepartum, all aim at improving reproduction with no negative side effects on production.

Controlled energy diets contain a combination of low- and high-energy feed ingredients. This brings the energy of the ration down, enabling cows to feed ad lib without overconsuming energy.

Cows fed controlled energy diets have several benefits, such as fewer diseases and disorders, than cows fed higher energy diets.

There have also been anecdotal reports of easier calving and greater dry matter intake (DMI) around parturition when energy is controlled. However, not all research has shown positive effects, and typically, this is caused by limiting the energy too much or not limiting energy enough.

Feeding a controlled energy diet is not as easy as just adding straw. The ration needs to be balanced. When feeding a controlled energy diet, energy should be formulated to approximately 1.4 megacalories or NEL per kilogram of dry matter (DM), which would limit daily intake to about 15 to 16 Mcal per day for a typical Holstein.

Diets should have a consistent chop length to ensure animals do not sort out the low energy ingredients. Cows with shorter straw chopped (approximately 2.5 centimetres) had greater total mixed ration DMI. Cows consuming longer straw had a higher blood beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) in the three weeks post-calving. This elevated BHB level can increase the risk of health problems in early lactation.

BHB is a ketone body, which, when found in high levels in the blood, can lead to issues, such as ketosis. Balancing ensures animals are still receiving the required minerals, vitamins and protein. Properly balancing a diet will maintain

and-or enable rumen adaptation to higher grain diets after calving. Failure to balance may compromise production.

Cows fed a moderate energy diet (1.5 to 1.6 Mcal of NEL/kg of DM) ad lib were found to overconsume energy by 40 to 80 per cent of the required amount in both far-off and closeup situations. Overconsumption of energy can cause issues even if the animal does not become over-conditioned.

Excess energy consumed must be expressed as either heat or fat tissue. This can be found to cause fatty liver, subclinical ketosis and secondary liver function issues. Chronic overconsumption of energy during the dry period can decrease postcalving DMI. It can also have negative effects on metabolic indicators, which can lead to issues, such as decreased DMI and immune systems. Like overconsumption, underconsumption of energy can lead to a variety of issues, including increased incidence of retained placenta and metritis.

Working with a nutritionist to determine the transition cows’ nutritional needs is a great way to ensure their ration is balanced. Monitoring animals to ensure they are not in a negative energy balance, over-conditioned and are in good health is crucial to ensuring a successful transition into lactation.

References: Cardoso, F. C., Kalscheur, K. F., & Drackley, J. K. (2020). Symposium review: Nutrition strategies for improved health, production and fertility during the transition period. Journal of Dairy Science, 103: 5684-5693.

Grummer, R.R. (2008) Nutritional and management strategies for the prevention of fatty liver in dairycattle. The Veterinary Journal, 176: 10 - 20.

Michelle Linington is a feed ingredient and byproduct specialist at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

This article is prepared by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs livestock technology specialists to provide information producers can use on their farm.

W W W.MILK PRODUCER.CA

DAIRY FARMERS OF ONTARIO’S DOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIP PROGRAM

BRANDON VAN SOEST is the recipient of Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s (DFO) doctoral scholarship for 2020.

By Olivia Willoughby CONTRIBUTOR

I

mproving the health of dairy cows—and dairy farmers—is the goal of research conducted

by University of Guelph (U of G) doctoral student Brandon Van Soest, who has received

Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s (DFO) doctoral scholarship for 2020.

Worth $105,000 over three years, the annual scholarship is awarded to an exceptional PhD student at U of G. The scholarship helps young researchers lead innovative and applicable dairy research projects and develop strong relationships for future career success.

Van Soest is studying nutrition of robotmilked cows under the supervision of Dr. Trevor DeVries, a professor in the department of animal biosciences and Canada Research Chair in dairy cow behaviour and welfare.

“Robot farms make up more than 10 per cent of Canada’s dairy farms,” Van Soest says.

“The technology comes with lots of benefits, but it can also have drawbacks as well. That’s why management practices in these herds need to be studied and optimized.”

Robot milking systems encourage cows to be milked at their own convenience. This is

thought to help improve cows’ health and milk production and improve farm profitability.

However, cows in these systems may be at risk of disease in the fresh period. For instance, ketosis and acidosis can lower animal welfare, production and profitability. Van Soest will look at optimum feeding strategies on robot farms for better cow health.

When cows enter the robot to be milked, they receive a small amount of high-energy pelleted feed, which is unique to cows in this system. Van Soest is interested in how farmers can use this management practice to properly maintain energy balance and overall health of early lactation cows.

He and his research team will follow more than 190 Canadian robot dairy farms to collect milk-related data from robots at each milking and test-day records for each herd.

That information will also help determine best practices for nutritional management of fresh cows.

Continued on page 42

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DAIRY RESEARCH

Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s doctoral research assistantship program, cont’d from page 41 Van Soest is also interested in how robot farms help improve welfare of dairy farmers. These farms may offer producers a break from their physically demanding and time-consuming lifestyle.

“An aspect of robot milking systems that interests me is the benefits to farmers’ mental health,” he says. “Dairy farming is hard work, and there are often no free days. Robot farms can reduce labour requirements and give producers the break they need to stay healthy.”

Among earlier award recipients, Shannon Cartwright received a DFO doctoral scholarship in 2019.

Working with Dr. Bonnie Mallard, a professor in the department of pathobiology, Cartwright is assessing the impact of climate change on dairy cattle production, reproduction, health and immune response. She currently has one published manuscript under review, with other papers in progress.

“By the end of my PhD program, my goal is to have a clear picture of the effects of climate change on the health of dairy cattle,” Cartwright says. “Without the support of DFO, this would have been much more challenging, so I’m thankful for the support and to have been chosen as the 2019 recipient of this award.”

Tony Bruinjé, DFO’s 2018 scholarship recipient, is working with Dr. Stephen LeBlanc from the department of population medicine. They are currently investigating how a cow’s health during the postpartum period affects reproductive function and fertility. In particular, Bruinjé is interested in how health problems affect the expression of estrus detected by activity monitors on commercial farms.

“I have been extremely fortunate to be able to conduct my PhD at one Olivia Willoughby is a student writer for the University of Guelph’s office of research.

This series highlights dairy research at the University of Guelph.

of the top universities for dairy research thanks to the generous support of DFO,” he says. “I believe the outcomes of my project will not only help achieve better dairy cow management overall but also play a role in enhancing animal welfare and sustainability, which are both priorities for the dairy industry in Canada and worldwide.”

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Other past recipients and their current positions, including a deputy minister, CEOs, research chairs, professors and specialists 2017 – Amanda Armstrong, postdoctoral fellowship, Ontario Veterinary College; 2016 – Logan Townsend, PhD candidate, College of Biological Science; 2015 – Hua Ming (Bonnie) Kung, medical representation, Nestlé Purina North America; 2014 – Mary (Alex) Watters, agricultural specialist, Adviser Policy, U.S. Embassy in Ottawa; 2013 – Elise Tatone, clinical drug evaluator, Health Canada; 2012 – Rebecca Elskamp, business systems, CRM and digital farming manager, BASF; 2011 – Michelle Marcinow, project co-ordinator, Trillium Health Partners; 2010 – Yfke Pasman, postdoctoral researcher, Ni Lab, St. Michaels Hospital; 2009 – Kathleen Thompson, director of innovation, Trouw Nutrition; 2008 – Janet Higginson, certified applied animal behaviourist, Landmark Behaviour Consulting; 2007 – Michael Steele, assistant professor, department of animal biosciences, U of G; 2006 – Barbara Caswell, program co-ordinator, Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association; 2005 – Heather Putnam, veterinarian, Holdredge Veterinary Clinic (Nebraska); 2004 – Richard Craven, research scientist, Nestle Research Centre (Switzerland); 2003 – Gerard Cramer, associate professor, University of Minnesota; 2002 – Lise Trotz-Williams, epidemiologist, Wellington-Dufferin Public Health 2001 – Gianfranco Mazzanti, associate professor, Dalhousie University; 2000 – Jason Gill, associate professor, Texas A&M; 1999 – Randy Dingwell, veterinarian, Holdredge Veterinary Clinic (Nebraska); 1998 – Thomas Wright, dairy cattle specialist, OMAFRA; 1996 – Gerrit Kistemaker, manager genetic evaluations, Lactanet; 1996 – Jocelyn Jansen-Burt, veterinarian - disease prevention, small ruminants and beef cattle, OMAFRA; 1995 – Marianne van den Heuvel, freelance biomedical editor and writer; 1994 – Danny Le Roy, associate professor, University of Lethbridge; 1993 – Carole Gilligan, senior scientist, Medicenna Therapeutics Corp.; 1992 – Janice Sargeant, professor, Ontario Veterinary College, U of G; 1991 – James Maas, senior research associate, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine; 1988 – David Kelton, DFO research chair, professor of epidemiology, Ontario Veterinary College, U of G; 1988 - Kerst Stelwagon, founding director and senior scientist, SciLactis Ltd.; 1988 - Judith Nemeth, special education paraprofessional, West Jessamine High School; 1987 – John Kelly, deputy minister, OMAFRA; 1986 – Brenda Bonnett, chief executive officer, International Partnership for Dogs; 1986 – Daniel Ganesh, ruminant nutritionist, director, Bos Nutrition Services; 1985 – Estelle Parnell-Clunies, technical director, Sensient Flavors Canada.

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MAY 2021 | MILKPRODUCER

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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MECHANISTIC MODELS: THE FUTURE OF DAIRY NUTRITION

By Kendra Hall CONTRIBUTOR

T

he agriculture industry has greatly benefitted from many technological advances. One group of technologies is known as “decision support” tools, which comes in many forms, such as software tools driven by mathematical models and supported by on-farm sensors.

These are designed to help producers, nutritionists and researchers make precise and quick nutrition and management decisions to optimize production and health. An ongoing project by researchers at the University of Guelph’s Centre for Nutritional Modelling (CNM) involves investigating the advancement of current decision support tools through the hybridization of artificial intelligence and mechanistic models (MM) to create intelligent precision nutrition models for next-generation dairy production.

Models have a long history of use in animal production. Mechanistic models, which are predominately used in nutrition, are developed as a series of mathematical equations, each expressing an aspect of a biological system’s behaviour.

They are designed to help better understand the functions of a system, such as the rumen.

Mechanistic models can provide advice regarding how to manipulate and optimize the diet or make predictions about performance outcomes, such as future milk production.

However, a historical limitation of these models is obtaining accurate inputs, as well as between-animal response variation.

Artificial intelligence refers to a field focused on developing computer systems, which can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. A subgroup of artificial intelligence, machine learning (ML), has gained more and more attention in animal production. Machine learning involves a computer system’s ability to develop algorithms and statistical models, which perform tasks by automatically detecting patterns or making inferences in the data.

These models are particularly suited toward making predictions, which proves useful in precision nutrition where predictions of performance measures for the next day are

W W W.MILK PRODUCER.CA

essential. However, a significant limitation of ML models is the inability to understand how or why a prediction is made, or to forecast the impact of an intervention not previously seen during model development.

There is significant value for the animal production industry if accurate predictions of dry matter intake or milk production from ML models can be combined with an MM’s ability to describe systems based on biological knowledge and perform decision-making.

Current work at the University of Guelph aims to explore means to train the biological understanding of an MM into ML models to make explainable artificial intelligence andor parameterize MMs using ML methods for individual animals. Real-time measurements collected from on-farm sensors for body weight, body condition score and milk production may be used by ML models to forecast next-day values, and by MM models in diet composition decision-making.

These accurate predictions made in real time will allow for the formulation of diets with optimal energy and nutrient intake to meet each cow’s current and exact nutritional needs to improve her performance. Reducing underfeeding or overfeeding will limit feed waste, improve health and reduce production costs. Diets can be formulated to meet more than just nutritional needs— they can be optimized to produce diets with precise goals for production, cost, health and environmental targets.

On-farm decision support tools can expect to see an introduction of artificial intelligence to its existing methods in the field of dairy nutrition. This technology will represent a huge step in the industry toward knowledge-based precision nutrition, which can help provide more accurate and helpful predictions when making decisions tailored to the individual animal’s needs. This will allow producers to make real-time, on-farm decisions for feeding and management to improve health, performance and environmental load.

The project described in this article is currently underway by PhD student Sarah Adams, under the supervision of Dr. Jennifer Ellis, assistant professor at the University of Guelph. For more information on this project, contact Adams at sadams05@uoguelph.ca.

References: Ellis, J.L., Jacobs, M., Dijkstra, J., van Laar, H., Cant, J.P., Tulpan, D, and N. Ferguson. 2020.

Review: synergy between mechanistic modelling and data-driven models for modern animal production systems in the era of big data. Animal.

14:1-15 doi: 10.1017/S1751731120000312 Knight, W. 2017. The dark secret at the heart of AI. MIT Technology Review. Retrieved from https://www.technologyreview.com/s/604087/thedark-secret-at-the-heart-of-ai/ Morota, G., Ventura, R. V., Silva, F. F., Koyama, M., and S. C. Fernando. 2018. Big data analytics and precision animal agriculture symposium: machine learning and data mining advance predictive big data analysis in precision animal agriculture. J. Anim. Sci. 96: 1540-1550.

Kendra Hall is the communications co-ordinator for the Centre for Nutrition Modelling at the University of Guelph.

MILKPRODUCER | MAY 2021

43

NEW NOTED FARMNMANAGEMENT

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ew N Noted, offers an opportunity for agribusinesses to inform readers about new and exciting products available to them. To have your new products and services in our issue, forward your information to pat.logan@milk.org.

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SECURITY SOLUTIONS START-UP FOCUSES ON AGRICULTURE

By EthoGuard Inc.

CONTRIBUTOR

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new agriculture company has announced the official launch of its operations.

EthoGuard Inc. is a fully comprehensive security company specializing in agriculture that promises to offer clients solutions in protecting themselves from the various risks the sector faces, including biosecurity and cybersecurity, as well as facility, asset and personnel security.

Capitalizing on his 25-plus years of agricultural and security experience, EthoGuard founder Mark Beaven believes by building strategic partnerships, the company can provide

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airy Cheq has announced it has discontinued the Q3 time temperature recorder (TTR) product.

All existing Q3 product warranties will continue to be honoured, and the Dairy Cheq FD model will replace TTRs in need of replacement.

In addition, Dairy Cheq has announced Steen Cheq will service the older TTRs in central and southwestern Ontario. Producers living in eastern Ontario will still be serviced by Dairy Cheq technicians.

For more information, contact Dairy Cheq at 1-866-849-3610 or visit info@ dairycheq.com.

To contact Steen Cheq, producers can call Jim Steenbergen at 519-496-2988 or email steencheq@gmail.com.

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“EthoGuard brings together several products and services that not only promise to reduce the risk the industry experiences, but can also make the industry more productive,” Beaven says.

While centred in Huron County, Ont., one of Canada’s most productive agricultural regions, EthoGuard plans on targeting clients across North America. Business partner and director of marketing George Morfopoulos explains that for the first time, the industry will have a security company that focuses solely on agriculture.

For more information, contact Mark Beaven by emailing info@ethoguard.com or calling 519-955-7725.

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MAY 2021 | MILKPRODUCER

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ENERGY INDEPENDENCE THROUGH SOLAR Did you know Ontario farmers pay some of the highest electricity rates in all of Canada?

By Matthew Belo, Compass Energy Consulting

CONTRIBUTOR

S

olar remains a smart choice for farm operations in Ontario. If you’re a small business owner, you can expect paybacks of five to 10 years on a 25-year investment. In fact, most of today’s solar panels are rated to last 30 years or more.

If you’re eligible to borrow from Farm Credit Canada, your payback could be less than two years.

With the cost of electricity rising every year,and solar panel cost at an all-time low, electricity

generated with solar is more cost effective than buying power from your utility. Ontario farmers are choosing energy independence and hedging against the rising cost of electricity. As well, solar provides great tax benefits.

Keep in mind that every farm is different.

You need to make sure the numbers make sense for your farm operations based on several other factors that include your farm’s energy usage, location and available space.

Best of all, there are many ways solar and farmland can effectively occupy the same space, keeping farmlands for farming while offering an additional source of income and making a

positive impact on the environment.

For more information, contact Raymond Tao from Compass Energy Consulting at 647-456-3245, or visit https://compassenergyconsulting.ca/.

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45

NEW N NOTED

CDX HYBRID – XPO OF THE FUTURE

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As a result of Farm Show cancellations, we are giving away "Discount Coupons”Call to get yours.

ith the successful virtual Canadian Dairy XPO (CDX) 2021 finished, it has opened the door for a hybrid approach to all future CDX in-person events. More than 16,000 dairy producers attend the in-person CDX annually. Meanwhile, the virtual CDX saw just more than 2,800 dairy producers and 420 dairy industry professionals. However, 40 per cent of attendees were experiencing CDX for the first time virtually compared with five per cent of new attendees at an in-person CDX. “I enjoyed the speed, chatting and researching different technologies and companies. I’m embarrassed to say this was my first time attending CDX,” says Scott Judd of Glad Crest Farms in Shawville, Que. “I don’t take enough time for shows, but this virtual show fit my schedule perfectly.”

This having been an exceptional year for out-of-country and out-of-province attendance, the stats clearly show many dairy producers who could never attend an in-person CDX now can.

“By combining the virtual component to the live CDX in 2022, our exhibitors and sponsors will be able to take part in the best of both worlds with no additional cost to them for the virtual component. It’s a great value proposition we are offering for 2022,” says Jordon Underhill, founder of CDX. Educational institutions from across the country were able to take part in the Dairy Classroom for the first time. There was a significant increase in attendance Has grooving let you in the classroom, with the virtual platform welcoming 750 producers and and your cows down? industry members each day compared with about 250 at the in-person CDX— AGRI-TRAC up by 67 per cent. can fix that!

Many exhibitors at the virtual CDX saw steady traffic and lead generation, with several companies seeing up to 300 producers attending their exhibit and engaging Celebrating our in the interactive options they were offering.

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UN AGRICULTEUR DE TERRE-NEUVE-ET-LABRADOR ESPÈRE QUE SES ENFANTS SUIVRONT LE MODE DE VIE DES PRODUCTEURS LAITIERS Par Tamara Botting

COLLABORATRICE

B

ien qu’ils soient un peu jeunes pour avoir choisi leurs parcours, l’aîné n’a que 10 ans et le plus jeune est encore en route, Ian Richardson espère que ses enfants choisiront de suivre la tradition familiale de l’agriculture. « Il n’y a pas de meilleure façon de vivre », affirme le propriétaire des fermes Larch Grove à Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador. « Je suis un producteur laitier de première génération, et j’espère que je ne serai pas le dernier. » M. Richardson a quitté l’Île-du-PrinceÉdouard pour venir s’installer à Terre-Neuveet-Labrador il y a plus de 20 ans. « Ma famille avait une ferme de bovins et de porcs à l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard. Nous étions trop de frères à la maison, quelqu’un devait partir. Je suis celui qui a flotté d’une île à l’autre, c’est comme ça que j’aime le dire », dit-il en riant.

M. Richardson affirme que les industries bovines et porcines fluctuaient trop à son goût.

Ce n’était jamais stable.

C’est pourquoi il a plutôt opté pour l’exploitation laitière. Sa famille au bercail a fini par suivre le mouvement et s’est convertie peu après.

Cela s’est avéré bénéfique pour la famille Richardson et pour lui personnellement, puisque ses parents ont élevé la majorité de ses génisses pour lui.

Le prix des aliments pour animaux est tellement élevé à Terre-Neuve. C’est souvent plus économique de les envoyer ailleurs pour être nourris, déclare M. Richardson.

Il envoie souvent ses veaux à des éleveurs de

IAN RICHARDSON et sa partenaire, Jessica Murphy, exploitent leurs activités laitières, les fermes Larch Grove, tout en élevant leurs enfants, Nash, 2 ans, Mackenzie, 10 ans, Landon, 7 ans, et leur nouveau bébé en route.

génisses lorsqu’ils ont six à huit mois, pour les reprendre lorsqu’ils sont à deux ou trois mois de mettre bas. « C’est un des principaux objectifs de notre ferme, essayer de mettre en place un genre d’installation pour élever nos propres génisses et ne pas les envoyer ailleurs », explique M. Richardson.

Par contre, il faudra peut-être attendre un peu avant que cela ne se produise.

M. Richardson affirme que la ferme s’est développée à pas de géant ces derniers temps, car la demande de viande bovine produite localement a augmenté.

« Nous avons commencé à élever un certain nombre d’animaux de boucherie pour essayer de répondre à ce marché », dit.il. « Nous utilisons des vaches laitières pour tenter d’accroître le nombre d’animaux de boucherie que nous avons à vendre. » Les activités laitières de M. Richardson comprennent environ 200 bovins traits deux fois par jours dans une stalle de stabulation entravée avec l’aide d’employés. « En ce moment, nous tirons en moyenne 38 litres par vache », dit-il, ajoutant que le contenu en matières grasses atteint environ 4,55 à 4,6 kilogrammes.

M. Richardson sait qu’une plus grande automatisation améliorerait ses activités, mais il souhaite s’assurer que ses enfants s’intéressent à ses activités avant d’entreprendre ce genre d’investissement dans la ferme.

Lorsqu’il ne trait pas, M. Richardson est dans le champ. Il exploite environ 1 000 acres. « Nous cultivons surtout des fourrages », dit. il. « Notre saison est assez courte ici, alors ça limite nos possibilités de culture ».

Cela peut être un défi, étant donné le coût élevé de l’expédition des aliments pour animaux, mais c’est aussi la raison pour laquelle M. Richardson tient tant à suivre des pratiques écologiquement durables, comme un bon plan de gestion des nutriments. « Il faut prendre bien soin de la terre et en être fier, car c’est elle qui prendra soin de nous », affirme-t-il.

Tamara Botting est une auteure et une journaliste primée.

BUTTERGATE : MAINTENIR LA CONFIANCE DU PUBLIC FACE À DES FAITS ET DES SPÉCULATIONS NON FONDÉS Par Murray Sherk

PRÉSIDENT DU DFO

«V

otre beurre n’est plus aussi mou qu’avant? La pandémie et notre urgence de cuisiner sont à blâmer, ain-

WWW.MILKPRODUCER.CA

si que l’huile de palme » (traduction libre). C’était le titre de l’article de Julie Van Rosendaal paru le 20 février dans le Globe and Mail. C’est un des articles qui a lancé un débat qui a suscité une attention mondiale.

L’article a rapidement évolué vers une histoire supposant que le beurre était devenu plus dur au cours des derniers mois et que l’alimentation en graisse de palme en était la cause.

Cela a ensuite mené à un questionnement

sur les problèmes environnementaux potentiels associés à la production d’huile de palme.

De la presse écrite à la radio en passant par la télévision, l’histoire a même fait la une de journaux internationaux, notamment le New York Times et la BBC. Recherchez simplement « beurre dur » dans Google et vous comprendrez toute l’ampleur qu’a prise l’histoire.

Suite à la page F2 MILKPRODUCER | MAY 2021

F1

MARCHÉS

cette façon auparavant.

Distinguer le vrai du faux peut être difficile.

Outre la recherche de la vérité, ce sont souvent les perceptions qui influencent le comportement des consommateurs. Il devient donc délicat pour les entreprises et les organismes, comme Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) de déterminer les meilleures réponses. Dans le cas du beurre, je crois que je m’en tiens aux faits en disant que dès le début, il y avait en fait très peu de données disponibles d’un côté ou de l’autre, ce n’était que des spéculations. Il y avait plusieurs interrogations quant aux causes potentielles des changements observés dans le beurre, si tant est qu’il ait changé, et même si l’alimentation en graisse de palme était à blâmer, il n’y avait que peu de preuves à l’appui.

Chez DFO, nous avons surveillé la situation attentivement et eu plusieurs conversations avec Producteurs laitiers du Canada (PLC). Les conseils provinciaux ont décidé qu’il était préférable que PLC soit la voix principale auprès des médias puisque cet enjeu touchait tous les producteurs. En l’absence de faits, la prudence semblait être la meilleure approche. Un groupe de travail a été formé pour étudier les enjeux et nous attendons les résultats sous peu.

D’ici là, quelques pistes de réflexion :

Buttergate : maintenir la confiance du public face à des faits et des spéculations non fondés, Suite de la page F1 Alors que cette histoire proliférait, je me suis souvenu du dicton souvent attribué à Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) : « Un mensonge peut faire le tour de la terre le temps que la vérité mette ses chaussures. » Je ne dis pas que le beurre est plus dur ni qu’il ne l’est pas, mais cet aspect de l’histoire s’est propagé comme un feu de forêt, alors que les agriculteurs, l’industrie et les scientifiques tentaient de trouver comment répondre à cet enjeu. Comme plusieurs l’ont dit, trouver des faits dans ce cas était et demeure complexe.

La façon dont cet enjeu s’est propagé met en lumière plusieurs réalités de la vitesse à laquelle l’information peut voyager et comment les histoires peuvent se dénouer. Cette question mise à part, il est troublant qu’un récit puisse être avancé sans s’appuyer nécessairement sur les faits. Les gens disent des choses qui ne sont peut-être pas vraies comme si elles l’étaient, et une personne peut s’emparer de la une et dominer nos croyances. Le militantisme peut être fait sur des points de discussion qui ne correspondent pas nécessairement aux données.

Ce n’est toutefois pas un nouveau phénomène, il n’avait juste pas atteint l’industrie laitière de

PRIX PONDÉRÉS DU P5 ET DU POOL DE L’OUEST* Le graphique ci-dessous montre le prix pondéré de 12 mois pour les provinces du P5 et le pool de lait de l’Ouest (PLO). *Ces chiffres sont fournis avec un décalage de trois mois

PROPORTION DE MATIÈRE SÈCHE DÉGRAISSÉE À LA MATIÈRE GRASSE (M.S.D.-M.G.) Ce graphique montre la proportion de M.S.D.-M.G. en Ontario pour les 12 derniers mois par rapport à sa proportion ciblée de 2,1722.

Prix pondéré du P5 Prix pondéré du PLO

Proportion de M.S.D.-M.G. en Ontario Proportion ciblée de M.S.D.-M.G. en Ontario

82

2,45

80

MAY 2021 | MILKPRODUCER

mars 2021

fév. 2021

janv. 2021

nov. 2020

déc. 2020

oct. 2020

sept. 2020

2,15

juil. 2020

2,2 août 2020

fév. 2021

déc. 2020

janv. 2021

oct. 2020

nov. 2020

sept. 2020

juil. 2020

août 2020

juin 2020

mai 2020

avril 2020

72

2,25

juin 2020

74

2,1873

2,3

mai 2020

P5 76,91 $

2,35

avril 2020

76

mars 2020

Prix pondéré à l’hectolitre F2

PLO 79,01 $

Proportion de M.S.D.-M.G.

2,4

78

70

• Quelle que soit la bonne volonté des producteurs laitiers pour produire un lait sûr, sain et nutritif, nous ne sommes pas à l’abri du public qui peut remettre en question nos pratiques agricoles. En tant que producteurs individuels, nos fermes doivent être irréprochables tous les jours, afin que l’apparence et les pratiques d’exploitation obtiennent le soutien dans le tribunal de l’opinion publique. Les producteurs jouissent d’une grande confiance du public, et nous devons faire tout ce que nous pouvons pour honorer et préserver cette confiance.

• Chez DFO, nous devons créer un groupe plus complet d’agriculteurs qui pourront être informés des enjeux afin d’être en mesure d’offrir leurs points de vue éclairés aux médias. Andrew Campbell et Bruce Sargent ont fait un bon travail à cet égard en transmettant leurs propres pratiques et perspectives. D’autres doivent le faire également.

Au moment où vous lirez ces lignes, il y aura peut-être d’autres discussions autour du buttergate. Maintenir la confiance du public n’est pas un nouvel enjeu, mais ce qui l’ébranle change avec le temps. Rappelons-nous les mots de Mark Twain en 1870 : « Le public est le seul critique dont le jugement a une quelconque valeur » (traduction libre).

WWW.MILKPRODUCER.CA

LES OFFICES DU P5 ANNONCENT UNE AUGMENTATION DU QUOTA EN JUIN Par Jennifer Nevans

RÉDACTRICE

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es offices du P5 ont convenu d’augmenter de 1,5 pour cent le quota vendable délivré aux producteurs du P5 le 1er juin 2021, afin de répondre aux besoins anticipés du marché pour le reste de l’année. Il s’agit de la troisième augmentation en six mois, soit un total de 4,5 pour cent depuis décembre 2020. « Nous constatons toujours une forte demande du marché en raison d’une augmentation de la demande de matière grasse canadienne, malgré l’impact de la COVID-19 sur l’économie et l’augmentation continue des importations en raison de l’accès accordé dans les récents accords commerciaux, explique Patrice Dubé, directeur en chef de l’économie et du développement de politiques de Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO).

Pendant ce temps, la production dans certaines provinces du P5 a ralenti en raison de la baisse des jours de crédit au niveau des exploitations. » Selon M. Dubé, la surveillance des niveaux de stocks de beurre est l’un des indicateurs clés pour déterminer si des signaux de production supplémentaires sont nécessaires.

À la fin de mars 2021, les niveaux de stocks de beurre ont chuté à 27 790 tonnes, ce qui, selon M. Dubé, est particulièrement inhabituel compte tenu du fait que les stocks de beurre augmentent généralement pendant l’hiver. « Il est peu commun de voir les stocks de beurre diminuer de 1 000 tonnes par rapport aux niveaux de février, c’est donc une indication que nous ne pourrons peut-être pas atteindre notre objectif de 35 000 tonnes d’ici la fin juillet 2021 », dit-il.

Avec la levée attendue des restrictions de COVID-19 et la reprise de l’économie, l’industrie laitière se prépare à une hausse de la demande cet automne. M. Dubé prévoit une forte période en automne, suivie d’un retour des conditions du marché au niveau où se trouvait la demande avant la pandémie, soit une augmentation de la demande de 2 à 2,5 % par an.

Entre-temps, les stocks de fromage ont atteint 107 900 tonnes en mars 2021, ce qui représente une augmentation par rapport aux mois précédents et se rapproche du niveau de 2019, grâce, en partie, aux importations supplémentaires de fromage au Canada dans le cadre de divers accords commerciaux.

Les ventes, à l’échelle nationale, de produits laitiers au détail restent fortes. Pour la période de 52 semaines se terminant le 27 mars 2021,

les ventes de lait de consommation, de crème de consommation, de yogourt, de crème glacée, de fromage et de beurre ont augmenté respectivement de 5,2, 12,8, 1,5, 12,8, 10,7 et 14,9 pour cent par rapport aux 52 semaines précédentes.

Les besoins nationaux totaux en matière grasse pour février 2021 ont atteint 1,02 million de kilogrammes par jour. Parallèlement, la production totale de lait (P10) en février 2021 a atteint 1,11 million de kilogrammes par jour.

L’objectif principal des offices du P5 est de surveiller en permanence la situation du marché du lait et de répondre de la manière la plus optimale à la demande. En cette période d’incertitude, les offices du P5 continueront à adapter les signaux de production pour répondre aux changements du marché, selon les besoins.

ANNULATION DE L’ÉCHANGE DE QUOTAS D’AVRIL 2021 En raison de la quantité insuffisante de quotas à vendre en Ontario, l’échange de quotas d’avril 2021 a été annulé conformément à la politique de DFO. Les producteurs dont les soumissions ou les offres ont été annulées devront les réinscrire au marché d’échange de quotas de mai 2021 s’ils souhaitent acheter ou vendre des quotas.

AVRIL PRIX

PRIX DU QUOTA QUOTIDIEN ($/kg) PROVINCE

PRIX/kg

MONTANT VOULAIT/kg

QUANTITÉ À VENDRE/kg

QUANTITÉ ACHETÉE/kg

Alberta

47 525 $

367,53

149,37

121,37

Saskatchewan

41 300 $

128,00

71,60

23,00

Colombie-Britannique

36 500 $

2407,09

59,51

59,51

Manitoba

35 800 $

313,75

155,00

114,00

Échange annulé

Ontario Québec

24 000 $

21 580,35

313,71

313,09

Nouveau-Brunswick

24 000 $

866,50

102,10

102,10

Échange annulé

Nouvelle-Écosse Île-du-Prince-Édouard

Il n’y a pas de prix d’équilibre d’échange établi

*Terre-Neuve n’utilise pas d’échange mensuel de quotas **Plafond de 24 000 $ en vigueur en Île-du-Prince-Édouard Nouveau-Brunswick Ontario Nouvelle-Écosse et le Québec WWW.MILKPRODUCER.CA

MILKPRODUCER | MAY 2021

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MAI

REVENU BRUT MOYEN EN ONTARIO

*Ces équivalents par hl sont calculés d’après la composition moyenne ontarienne pour mars 2021 de 4,20 pour la M.G., de 3,24 pour la protéine et de 5,94 pour les A.M.S., et arrondis au centième près.

Le prix réel du transport pour mars 2021 était de 2,870 $ l’hectolitre.

mars 2021

5,005 $ -5,005 $

$70 fév. 2021

5,005 $ 76,137$

81,14 $ janv. 2021

Total de retenues Total net moyen

$75 déc. 2020

0,625 $ 0,050 $ 0,060 $ 2,870 $ 1,400 $

nov. 2020

0,625 $ 0,050 $ 0,060 $ 2,870 $ 1,400 $

oct. 2020

Administration DFO Recherche DFO CanWest DHI Transport Expansion de marché

$80

sept. 2020

*par hL

août 2020

*par hL

$85

juil. 2020

Excédent de quota

juin 2020

Intérieur quota

Retenues brutes moyennes par hL, basé sur la composition mensuelle provinciale kg-par-hL.

mai 2020

Pour mars 2021

avril 2020

Retenues en Ontario

PRIX BRUT ACCORDÉS Pour mars 2021

Prix intérieur-quota Excédent de quota

M.G. par kg

Protéin par kg

A.M.S par kg

REVENU par kg de M.G.

REVENU *par hL

11,12 $

10,02 $

0,90 $

19,34 $

81,14 $

0,00 $

0,00 $

0,00 $

0,00 $

0,00 $

En mars, 3343 producteurs ont livré du lait au DFO compara­tivement à 3378 l’an dernier.

Classe 1a1 (comprend les classes 1a2, 1a3, 1c et 1d pour des raisons de confidentialité) Lait et boissons Classe 1b Crèmes liquides *Utilisation par classe dans le P10 % M.G. Classe 2a Yogourt, boissons à base de yogourt, Pour février 2021 (kg de M.G./kg d’extrait sec dégraissé) % Extrait sec degrasse kéfir et lassi Classe 2b4 (comprend les classes 2b1, 2b2 et * % Revenu 2b3 pour des raisons de confidentialité) Desserts laitiers frais, crème sure, milk shakes, et boissons nutritionnelles pour sportifs 12,16 % 1a1 *28,71 % Classe 2b5 Crème glacée et yogourt glacé 26,14 % 12,82 % 1b *7,49 % Classe 3a1 Fromages de spécialité 2,47 % Classe 3a2 Fromages en grains et fromages frais 2,31 % 2a 6,47 % *4,84 % Classe 3b2 (comprend la classe 3b1 pour des 3,20 % raisons de confidentialité) Cheddar et 2b4 0,69 % *1,92 % cheddar vieilli 1,84 % 2b5 *0,95 % Classe 3c1 Feta 0,11 % 0,79 % 3a1 *0,85 % Classe 3c2 Asiago, gouda, havarti, parmesan et 0,77 % suisse 3,23 % 3a2 *4,08 % Classe 3c4 (comprend les classes 3c3 et 3c5 4,50 % 15,84 % pour des raisons de confidentialité) Brick, *15,77 % 3b2 14,79 % Colby, fermier, jack, Monterey jack, munster, 0,68 % 3c1 *0,66 % 0,80 % fromage pour pizza, mozzarella pour pizza, et autres mozzarellas non couvertes dans la 2,81 % 3c2 *3,37 % 3,35 % classe 3d.

6,26 % 3c4 *8,07 % Classe 3c6 Panir 9,32 % 0,28 % 3c6 *0,26 % Classe 3d Mozzarella utilisée strictement sur 0,28 % les pizzas fraîches par les établissements 3,30 % *3,41 % 3d enregistrés auprès de la Commission 4,91 % canadienne du lait 21,34 % 4a *14,15 % Classe 4a Beurre et poudres 16,81 % 0,55 % 4d *1,00 % Classe 4d (comprend les classes 4b1, 4b2, 4c et 3,58 % 4m pour des raisons de confidentialité) Lait 2,59 % 5a *1,65 % 2,89 % concentré pour la vente au détail, les pertes et 8,55 % l’alimentation animale 5b *2,28 % 1,51 % Classe 5a Fromages destinés à la transformation 1,45 % 5c *0,53 % Classe 5b Produits non fromagers destinés à la 0,62 % 0,00 % transformation 5d 0,00 *0,00 % % Classe 5c Produits de confiserie 0% 5 % 10 % 15 % 20 % 25 % 30 % 35 % 40 % 45 % Classe 5d Exportations prévues

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MAY 2021 | MILKPRODUCER

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