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Advancements in farm machinery and equipment paves way for better farming
By Brian Burnett, Board Member, Region
2, Dundas,
Ottawa-Carleton
(except for twp. of Cumberland), and Stormont. Brian serves on DFO’s Audit, Communications and Government Relations, Transportation, and Research and Development committees, as well as the Training and Development subcommittee.
Advancements in farm machinery and equipment not only allow us to run more efficient dairy farms, technology and other innovative on-farm upgrades mean we can focus more on improving animal health and welfare. And, in my case, have the time to serve as a Dairy Farmers of Ontario board member.
On my home farm at Carleton Corner Farms Ltd. in Marionville, Ont., where my wife, Tracie, and I, along with our son and four daughters, care for and manage a large acreage farm and 575 milking cows, technology has played a major part in helping us manage two large operations, one of which has remote monitoring capabilities. For instance, we recently installed a computerized milk monitoring system on our main farm’s bulk tank. Prior to this installation, our time temperature recorder (TTR) would flash a light and sound an alarm if there was an issue, and someone would have to physically go to the TTR to see what the issue was and turn off the unit. Now with the milk monitoring system, anyone on our farm can get the notification on their phone. Whether the issue is concerning milk temperature, cooling speed, cow movement alerts or any other concern, a text is immediately sent to our phones, enabling us to follow up on the issue within minutes.
Because we’re not always in the barn, having this tool has saved us tremendous time diagnosing problems. With several staff and family members
Farm and Family
all responsible for different areas of our operations, it has also enabled us to better streamline work responsibilities. With multiple employees doing milking shifts on different properties, the new system has helped support our high production needs and offers more precise monitoring, which is essential during milking.
A good herd management system not only gathers information on milk production, it also combines and interprets it at crucial points. The benefit of having real-time data, even when I’m not on location, means I can be at the home office on the main farm and know what cows are being milked at our other location.
Information is great to have, but for effective herd management, we need to be able to interpret the data to help us make sound decisions. Being able to do remote monitoring has been a game changer and ensures we can continue to produce the highquality milk and effective care for healthy animals we’re known for.
According to a Case Study: Dairy Robotics from the University of Waterloo, March 20241, the adoption of dairy robotics has more than doubled in Ontario, with more farms using this technology, increasing to 715 in 2021 from 337 in 2016. As DFO's CEO Cheryl Smith penned in a recent article published online in Grocery
Business on Dec. 18, 20242, these innovations provide valuable health data for livestock, paving the way for a more sustainable and rewarding future for the next generation of dairy farmers.
On many farms throughout the province, you’ll find robotic calf feeders, robotic milking machines, drones, and other high-tech equipment. Even the cameras and scopes our field services representatives use to look into pipelines play an instrumental role in farm management today.
With all the advancements taking place on and off the farm, it’s an exciting time to be an aspiring dairy farmer. I’m grateful for the wonderful team working on our family farms and remote monitoring capabilities to manage them, but I’m even more grateful for the ways in which dairy farming will change for the next generation.
Sources:
1 Dairy Robotics (Rana, M., Huneke, M., Hall, H. M., & Vinodrai, T). 2024. University of Waterloo
2 https://www.grocerybusiness.ca/canadian-dairyrooted-in-tradition-and-fuelled-by-innovation/
Does your succession plan work for both?
Don’t risk your legacy, take our simple self-assessment and find out where you stand.
Brian Burnett
How hot should my water be for washing milking equipment?
Using water at the proper temperature can help ensure high-quality
Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s (DFO) Field Services Representatives (FSRs) are not only milk inspectors, they are also your support for everything from milk quality troubleshooting to quota questions and paperwork, questions about policies and regulation, and anything else related to DFO and how it applies to your farm. Our 13 FSRs have seen and heard a lot. This column was created to transfer their collective expertise into answers to some of the most common questions received.
PROPERLY CLEANING MILKING EQUIPMENT is essential for maintaining milk quality. In addition to proper slugging action, time and chemical concentration, the next most important factor in achieving effective cleaning is the water temperature used to wash equipment. Hot water, ideally 74 degrees Celsius (165 degrees Fahrenheit), is crucial for ensuring detergents work as intended.
Detergents are designed to break down milk residues, fats and proteins that can build up on milking equipment. However, cold water is less effective in dissolving these residues, meaning using it for washing could leave behind contaminants that affect both the quality of the milk and performance of your equipment. Hot water, at 74°C, activates the cleaning properties of detergents, allowing them to break down stubborn residues and sanitize the equipment more thoroughly.
At this temperature, fat and protein molecules in milk residues begin to break apart, making it easier for detergents to clean the surfaces of teat cups, pipelines, receiver jars and bulk tanks. The result is cleaner, more hygienic equipment, which reduces the risk of bacterial contamination and maintains the integrity of your milk.
It's important to note, water temperature that is too high or too low can have negative effects. Water that is too hot can damage equipment,
while water that is too cold can lead to ineffective cleaning. Maintaining a consistent water temperature of 74°C ensures detergents perform optimally, protecting both your equipment and milk quality. It is also imperative to use the proper chemicals (always check labels), with the correct volume of water, coupled with properly functioning water softeners (topped up with salt).
By using water at the proper temperature, you will maximize the effectiveness of detergents, protect your equipment and ensure highquality milk production.
GEA Super Pump on trailer or on 3-point hitch
That’s what needs to be
hitched to your tractor.
• Reinforced pump head
• Gate valves all around
• Twin short agitation nozzle with position indicator
• Stainless steel nozzle ball joint
• Thicker sprocket and motor mount
• Inline cooling pump (no more belt)
• New oil cooling reservoir bolted on the housing
• Remote control
Trailer model features:
• Can reach up to 4’ in pit depth difference
• PTO stays connected on the trailer
• Transport mode locking mechanism on trailer
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Mountain View Electric Ltd.
Enderby — 250 838-6455
Pacific Dairy Centre Ltd.
Chilliwack — 604 852-9020
ALBERTA
Dairy Lane Systems
Leduc: 780 986-5600
Blackfalds: 587 797-4521
Lethbridge: 587 787-4145
Lethbridge Dairy Mart Ltd.
Lethbridge — 888 329-6202
Red Deer — 403 406-7344
SASKATCHEWAN
Dairy Lane Systems
Warman — 306 242-5850
Emerald Park — 306 721-6844
Swift Current — 306 203-3066
MANITOBA / NW ONTARIO
Penner Farm Services Ltd.
Blumenort — 204 326-3781
Thunder Bay ON – 800 461-9333
Tytech
Grande Pointe — 204 770-4898
ONTARIO
Claire Snoddon Farm Machinery
Sunderland — 705 357-3579
Conestogo Agri Systems Inc.
Drayton — 519 638-3022 1 800 461-3022
County Automation
Ameliasburg — 613 962-7474
Dairy Lane Systems
Komoka — 519 666-1404
Keith Siemon Farm Systems Ltd.
Walton — 519 345-2734
Lamers Silos Ltd.
Ingersoll — 519 485-4578
Lawrence’s Dairy Supply Inc.
Moose Creek — 613 538-2559
McCann Farm Automation Ltd.
Seeley’s Bay — 613 382-7411
Brockville — 613 926-2220
McLaren Works
Cobden — 613 646-2062
Melbourne Farm Automation
Melbourne — 519 289-5256
Watford — 519-876-2420
Silver-Tech Systems Inc.
Aylmer — 519 773-2740
Dunnville — 905 981-2350
ATLANTIC PROVINCES
Atlantic Dairy Tech.
Charlottetown, PE — 902 368-1719
Mactaquac Farm Equip. Ltd.
Mactaquac, NB — 506 363-2340
Sheehy Enterprises Ltd.
Shubenacadie, NS — 902 758-2002
Sussex Farm Supplies
Sussex, NB — 506 433-1699
John Deere and DeLaval launch high-tech centre to help dairy farmers become more sustainable
By Chris McCullough
united platform offers cloud-based solutions
A NEW HIGH-TECH DIGITAL PLATFORM to help dairy farmers become more sustainable has been launched in an international joint venture between John Deere and DeLaval.
Called the Milk Sustainability Centre, the new system integrates data on crop and animal performance into one unified platform. The data show dairy farmers
areas needing improvement to meet ongoing environmental regulations. It is now available as a free version to a select number of dairy farmers in the United States, Netherlands and Germany, with plans to expand to other European countries soon.
Dairy farmers can use the platform to monitor nutrient use efficiency and carbon dioxide equivalent across their farm, herd and fields. It collects animal and crop data, providing insights to help farmers effectively manage nutrient use and reduce the need for manual data input. Farmers can also provide their consultants, dealers, vets and other partners access to the platform.
John Deere and DeLaval have joined together to launch the new Milk Sustainability Centre.
The Milk Sustainability Centre is designed to help dairy farmers meet their goals and address growing demands from dairy processors, retailers, government and consumers.
Alexander Berges
–
The Milk Sustainability Centre is designed to serve dairy farmers regardless of the brand of farm machinery, milking equipment or herd management software. With a promise to be very user friendly, the Milk Sustainability Centre is a cloud-based solution accessible on both desktop and mobile devices. It is developed and powered by Dairy Data Warehouse BV (DDW), a Dutch company with 11 years of experience in providing data solutions for sustainable dairy farming.
“The Milk Sustainability Centre is designed to help dairy farmers meet their goals and address growing demands from dairy processors, retailers, government and consumers,” says Alexander Berges, John Deere production system manager.
“The future addition of the benchmarking and recommendations functionality will help farmers be more profitable while improving their sustainability.”
The Milk Sustainability Centre welcomes partners to join its mission to provide farmers with the comprehensive data and insights needed for a holistic view of the efficiency and sustainability in their dairy operations.
“Dairy farming involves using multiple, unconnected software solutions. The Milk Sustainability Centre links these different systems into one platform. This integration reduces the need for manual data entry and provides farmers with a comprehensive view of their farm’s sustainability,” says Lars Bergmann, DeLaval’s executive vice-president of digital service. “The tool helps identify where farmers can save money and improve their sustainability efforts by highlighting nutrient losses and offering recommendations for reduction.”
“The future addition of the benchmarking and recommendations functionality will help farmers be more profitable while improving their sustainability.”
EuroTier offers glimpse into the future
Robots and artificial intelligence help streamline future dairy farm production
By Chris McCullough
THE TAKE-HOME MESSAGE FOR DAIRY FARMERS VISITING
EUROTIER this year was if they are not already using robots and artificial intelligence (AI), at some point in the near future they will be.
EuroTier is the world’s leading trade fair for professional livestock production and is held every two years in Hannover, Germany.
The 2024 event, held Nov. 12 to 15, hosted 2,193 exhibitors from 51 countries, as well as 120,000 visitors from 149 countries.
Organised by DLG, the German Agricultural Society, the event provides an insight into the latest technology, machinery, gadgets and gizmos to streamline livestock farms and make them more efficient.
EuroTier had everything from calf feeders that talk to humans about how their animals are performing, to technology that blows air through a cow cubicle via a pressurised system to reduce heat stress. Robotic diet feeders, loaders, milking systems and manure scrapers were also featured.
Cow-Welfare: Flex Air Stall
Taking one of the four EuroTier gold medals awarded by the DLG was a revolutionary new airflow system designed to keep dairy cows cool while reducing heat stress.
Danish company Cow-Welfare launched its new flex air stall, an air supply system integrated into its already popular flex stall range of cubicles.
Cow-Welfare: Flex Air Stall
Fresh outdoor air is sucked into the animal housing via a hose ventilation system and forwarded into the cubicles under pressure. The fresh air is then forced directly into the lying area at a 45-degree angle from five openings drilled in the upper cubicle bar. This creates an ambient ventilated area for cows to lie comfortably, while reducing heat stress and increasing productivity. This innovation also won the EuroTier Animal Welfare Award 2024.
Forster-Technik: CalfGPT
Forster-Technik: CalfGPT
CalfGPT is a new management tool that lets farmers check on the health status of individual calves using simple voice commands.
Based on the leading AI system from OpenAI, the system lets farmers enquire about individual calves using a voice connection via the farm’s own WiFi.
The farmer can receive specific information about the calves vocally and via alarms on a mobile phone or tablet. Pre-formulated commands are not necessary and new information concerning individual calves can be sent directly and verbally to CalfGPT for further documentation.
The system gathers the data from the company’s range of calf feeders, which can be connected via Bluetooth.
Bioret Agri: Aquaclim
EuroTier hosts many forms of cow mattresses but one in particular was the new Aquaclim waterbed system from Bioret Agri.
This unique design features the company’s already established Aquastar waterbed mattress incorporating a water pocket cooled by a refrigeration system. When a cow lies on the bed, her excess body heat is effectively removed by the water system that keeps the cow cooler, reducing heat stress.
It is designed to provide optimal bedding comfort and effective zoothermal regulation in all weather conditions, even extreme ones, and for highproduction cows.
Bioret says the water pocket applies uniform pressure across the entire contact surface, ensuring optimal blood circulation without pressure points, particularly around the udder.
Urban: SipControl
Urban SipControl is a system designed to determine the welfare of suckling calves at automatic feeders by recording the animal's sucking strength and individual swallowing processes.
It uses a high-resolution, inductive flow sensor to scan the pulsating volumetric flow that occurs in the suction line of suckling calves at microsecond intervals.
During the drinking process, number of swallows, volume consumed per swallow and the calf’s sucking strength are recorded and evaluated with high precision. The length of the suckling process can be adapted to the individual animal as required.
Deviations from the animal’s individual sucking patterns can be used for predictive health monitoring.
Strautmann: Primus 600
Strautmann launched the Primus 600 selfpropelled feeder wagon powered by a sixcylinder 205-horsepower (151kW/205hp) FPT turbo diesel engine, which can be adapted to HVO.
Bioret Agri: Aquaclim
Urban: Sip Control
This Primus 600 has a completely new design from the chassis up to machine control and has a mixing volume of 17 to 22 cubic metres. A smart feed cab has been added with cameras at the rear of the wagon and in the mixing auger.
The Strautmann feed control system enables direct access to all important machine functions, combining its weighing device, machine information, control terminal and camera monitor in one device.
For added traction, the Primus can be equipped with four-wheel drive on request. The steering control with four-wheel steering, crab steering and tail swing suppression are now standard equipment elements.
The machine stands from 2.74 metres tall on single tyres and has a pick-up width of two metres from a fodder height of up to 5.50 metres. The conical funnel behind the milling cutter ensures perfect, structure-protecting and fast material flow to the elevator mounted behind the milling cutter.
The two Strautmann IMS mixing augers enable a fast, homogeneous and smooth mixing result in the mixing container.
Trioliet: Triomatic WP 2 600
To help boost feeding efficiency on the farm, Trioliet has doubled the maximum capacity of its Triomatic feed robots to six cubic metres on the new WP 2 600 model.
This new machine has a maximum load capacity of 2,000 kilograms, making it more suitable for farms with 600 to 800 cows.
Using the Trioliet Batch&Traffic manager, it’s possible to scale the system’s capacity to a maximum of four robots, making automatic feeding accessible for farms with 1,200 to 2,500 cows.
The mixing tub of the Triomatic WP 2 600 is equipped with two vertical augers made of wear-resistant stainless steel. Even small quantities are homogeneously mixed thanks to the dual flow principle. With the help of counter blades in the mixing tub and knives on each auger, the feed is also well chopped.
Energy is saved on the Triomatic WP machines when dispensing since only the auger closest to the discharge gate is activated. The second auger is only engaged when the feed amount falls below a certain level. Discharge is done via a cross conveyor belt.
All settings can be entered directly via the large touchscreen on the robot, but also via a computer, smartphone or tablet. The feed robot is loaded by a Trioliet feed kitchen of choice: the Triomatic T10, T20, T30, or T40.
Kuhn: Profile 1.CM
Kuhn exhibited some models of its new Profile 1.CM range of single-auger trailed mixer wagons with dual-side distribution.
With a more compact design than the existing 1.L series, the five new M models are engineered for farmers dealing with significant width and height restrictions, enabling efficient distribution in any type of barn.
Available in sizes 8, 9, 10, 12, and 13 cubic metres, the Profile 1.CM series can feed up to 100 dairy cows in a single pass.
Equipped with a single vertical auger, the 10m3 model stands at less than 2.80 metres tall. With a width of just 2.43 to 2.45 metres, these new models can handle tight feed passages.
Strautmann: Primus 600a
Trioliet: Triomatic WP 2 600
Kuhn: Profile 1.CM
Buy or lease farm equipment –how to choose the best option for you
Farmers should weigh both options carefully before deciding on costly investment
By Matt McIntosh, Farm Credit Canada
FARM EQUIPMENT IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE INVESTMENT AFTER LAND.
But is it better to buy or lease? Farmer and veteran accountant Lance Stockbrugger says producers should weigh both options carefully before deciding how to make equipment investments.
The comfort of buying
Most Canadian farmers still prefer to buy rather than lease equipment, Stockbrugger says, because it’s familiar. There’s security in the tradition of bringing longevity of ownership and comfort in avoiding the possibility of contract-related surprises back to the farm.
Leasing, by comparison, is a relatively new business model that usually comes with conditions. Of course, all the conditions are included in the leasing contract. But concerns for complications—say, if a leaseholder wants to run a machine for longer than detailed in the lease—gives some producers pause.
How to decide
There are several points to consider when deciding whether to lease or buy. Here are some:
• Leasing can be less expensive and simpler than buying since lease payments are often less than loan payments.
"Leasing is really good for cash flow. It’s an easier or cheaper way to get into a new piece of equipment,” Stockbrugger says.
• Some equipment is used repeatedly during the growing season with little room for error as far as timing goes. When it’s time to spray, for example, farmers need to go. In a situation where there is no wiggle room for timing, it may be important to have equipment with a warranty in place and technician support. Leasing may offer the best option for this.
“If it’s something you want to turn over regularly, keep in warranty and (have) dealer support, or (you) know you’re going to be replacing it in a couple of years, leasing is condensing your payments and using it for that time period,” Stockbrugger says.
• If you repeatedly lease equipment, then monthly payments never end. If you buy, the equipment will eventually be paid off and monthly payments will stop;
• Find out the maintenance, refurbishment and repair costs of equipment when considering whether to lease or buy. With leasing, all repairs may have to be done by the dealership, which may quash some time-honoured traditions on the farm;
Stockbrugger says farmers may opt to take a hybrid approach to their equipment needs by leasing some and purchasing others.
• Consider all the costs. “A lease is simply a financing contract,” Stockbrugger points out. “There’s going to be an interest rate that’s charged, so you’re going to want to find that out.”
Hybrid deals
Overall, once all the pros and cons are considered, Stockbrugger says farmers may opt to take a hybrid approach to their equipment needs by leasing some and purchasing others.
That’s what he does. Most machinery is purchased. However, Stockbrugger’s sprayer is leased because he enjoys the reliability of a machine that requires a lot of maintenance, it's needed throughout the growing season and will be replaced every few years.
Bottom line
After farmland, equipment is the most expensive part of farming. The decision on whether to lease or buy equipment is a major one, based on several factors, such as farm cash flow, the need for immediate technical support in case of breakdowns, maintenance and repair costs. It’s critical farmers consider each of these, and more, before making a lease or buy decision. Use FCC equipment loan and lease calculators to help you make these decisions.
This article is reprinted by permission of the author and Farm Credit Canada.
2 to help increase the profitability of your dairy farm tips
By Amanda Hammell, Senior Manager, Farm Management Consulting, MNP
Carbon Markets: An Opportunity for Dairy Farmers?
Amadou Thiam, OMAFA
Winter Triticale Forage: The Quiet Crop With a Big Impact? Tom Kilcer, Advanced Ag Systems LLC
Artificial Intelligence on Dairy Farms - Friend or Foe?
Dr. David Kelton, U of Guelph Lunch featuring Food From Our Farms
Understanding the New Ontario Building Code: Key Changes for Dairy Producers Speaker TBA
Producer Panel: Innovations Driving Sustainability on Dairy Farms
YOU MAY BE PAYING MORE TO KEEP YOUR DAIRY
OPERATION
RUNNING and receiving lower returns for your hard work. Higher interest rates, fluctuating market prices and the rising cost of equipment are just a few of the factors squeezing Canadian dairy farmers’ profit margins. How can you ensure you’re getting the most from all the effort you’re putting into your operation?
While many factors in the marketplace are out of your control, you still have control over your operations and, as a result, most of your costs. Taking the right steps to improve your operational efficiency and manage your costs can help your dairy farm thrive in today’s uncertain marketplace. These two tips can help you get started:
1. Improve return over feed
Feed is typically the biggest expense on a dairy farm, and providing nutritious feed to your milking cows is necessary to increase your cows' milk quantity and quality. While it’s easy to keep your focus on your milking cows, it’s equally important not to overlook the rest of your animals.
You may have a significant number of young stock or dry cows on your farm that require feed but are not contributing to your operation’s bottom line. Additionally, caring for these animals takes time, effort and labour away from other areas of your operation.
Assess the number of animals on your farm that are consuming feed versus the amount that are helping pay your bills. If you have a high number of young stock you don’t intend to use for milk production, it may be beneficial to consider selling or culling some of these animals to increase your return over feed.
It is also important to analyze your breeding program. You may end up with a one-to-one ratio of young stock to cows without careful management, which makes it crucial to set goals, such as how many heifers you want to bring into the herd each year. This allows you to make adjustments to reduce the amount of excess animals and improve your return over feed.
• Oxford Cattle Company is working with genetic companies to select sires for use in our guaranteed calf buy back program.
• We are now pleased to announce that we are interested in buying your holstein bull calves and can include them in your regular pick up. We will take calves that are over 92 lbs and 10 days old. The price will be negotiated on a weekly basis.
•
Conduct a thorough analysis on each piece of equipment before you purchase it to understand whether the returns will outweigh overall costs.
2. Reduce equipment costs
Equipment costs can easily spiral out of control without careful management. While it may be appealing to own equipment, it’s important to remember equipment costs include more than just the purchase price. It also includes the cost of fuel, maintenance and repairs. Additionally, time is valuable and the time your team spends operating that equipment might be better spent focusing on other areas within your operation.
Conduct a thorough analysis on each piece of equipment before you purchase it to understand whether the returns will outweigh overall costs. It may be more cost effective to rent the equipment when you need it or hire someone to come in to do custom work on your operation. Additionally, changing the practices on your farm to reduce the amount of equipment you need can also help decrease costs and improve your farm’s profitability.
Take the next steps
Taking the right steps to increase the efficiency of your operation and manage your costs can leave you with more money to invest in your farm's future. Review where you can control the costs in your operation to get the most out of the effort you put into your business.
For more information, contact a member of MNP’s agriculture team. We have a range of experience regarding all aspects of agricultural business — from primary producers through to food and beverage processors.
Canada's new right-to-repair laws good news for farmers
By Ethan Wallace, Vice-President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture
TWO FEDERAL BILLS RECEIVED ROYAL ASSENT IN NOVEMBER that will make it easier for consumers to fix and service the products they use daily. That includes phones, fridges and even tractors.
That’s welcome news for farmers, who’ve long been frustrated with rightto-repair and interoperability and for the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), which has been an active advocate for change on this issue.
Farmers often rely on specialized equipment to get their work done, from planting and harvesting crops to milking cows. However, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in Canada have tightly controlled access to the technology in their products. This includes repair codes, diagnostic tools and service manuals.
Without legislation to protect repair rights, farmers who attempt repairs— whether by themselves or through independent technicians—risk violating Canada’s Copyright Act if they bypass a password or digital lock. As more farm equipment incorporates digital systems, this problem grows each year.
By contrast, the automotive industry in Canada has had right-to-repair laws for decades. Independent mechanics can access the same repair manuals and software as dealerships. Farmers, and farm organizations like the OFA and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture have been pushing for similar rights for farm equipment.
I’m a farmer and through my role as a board director and vice-president with OFA, I’ve been involved in our organization’s advocacy on this issue.
We’ve been asking government for legislation that lets people make repairs, run diagnostics and conduct maintenance. Imagine you’re in the middle of grain harvest, and a minor issue like a faulty fuel sensor brings your combine to a halt. Often, we cannot afford to wait for dealership technicians who may be booked for days or weeks out. We need a quick, affordable solution to minimize downtime while labour is available, and the weather co-operates.
OEM-approved tools, replacement parts and repair manuals need to be available for Canadian electronic and farm equipment aftermarkets. Being able to do in-field repairs ourselves or calling an independent technician can minimize costly downtime and avoid a lengthy trip to the dealership. We need assurance equipment repairs done by our local farm equipment dealers or mechanic shops do not violate any warranties.
At the same time, we understand OEMs need to protect their intellectual property, and that safeguards need to be in place to prevent the modification of software in ways that would circumvent the original design and function of the equipment. So, we’ve always supported a framework that allows for decoding of digital locks for diagnosis, repair and maintenance.
Interoperability is also big issue on the farm, especially for those of us with
existing farm equipment or who buy used equipment.
What this does is ensure if I have a tractor or a combine of a specific brand, I can buy a piece of equipment or an equipment accessory from a different brand and they will be compatible with each other. This has been a big part of our advocacy, and we are pleased to see this has been addressed in the new legislation.
That’s why the passage of both Bill C-244 and Bill C-294 is welcome news for farmers. Now that the bills have both received Royal Assent, work is underway to draft the supporting regulations.
OFA appreciates the willingness of the federal government and parliamentarians to listen to farmers and farm organizations and address this critical gap for farmers.
By striking a balance between affordability and accessibility for farmers and profitability for manufacturers, these changes ensure we can make critical repairs quickly and as cost effectively as possible, as well as be able to access a broader range of compatible equipment to use on the farm.
This article and photo was reprinted with permission from the Ontario
By Jeanine Moyer
Cranbrook Farms
Terpstra family builds back a stronger future for
together
JUNE 20, 2023, WILL BE FOREVER KNOWN AS BLACK TUESDAY FOR THE TERPSTRA FAMILY WHO LIVE IN BRUSSELS, ONT.
It was the day all but one of their barns burned down, leaving them with charred remains and the smell of smoke that would linger for months after the tragic event.
A barn fire is every farmer’s worst nightmare, but despite the toll the disaster has taken on Joe and Barb Terpstra and their family, their resilience and ability to find rainbows among the ashes has brought the couple, their family and their local farming community closer.
There’s healing in telling our story, and if it can support others through their own experiences, we want to help.
“There’s healing in telling our story, and if it can support others through their own experiences, we want to help,” says Barb Terpstra as she reflected on the impact the barn fire has had on her family and dairy farm.
At the time, the Terpstra family of Cranbrook Farms Ltd. were milking 400 Holsteins with seven robotic milkers in a naturally ventilated freestall barn. The couple farmed with the help of two of their four children, as well as two full-time and two part-time employees. The blaze started when a tractor pumping manure beside the barn caught fire and wind blew the flames into the barn. The family lost their freestall barn, milking facility and calf barn. Only the heifer barn remained standing. Seven local volunteer fire departments came to extinguish the blaze. Barb says by the time she got to the barn, everything was engulfed in flames.
The plan to install a rotary parlour in our rebuild also helped reorganize our workload and responsibilities among family members. The new set up means we are taking new approaches.
Even though the family was overcome by the situation, it was the outpouring of community support that overwhelmed them the most. “We were so blessed by everyone who came out immediately to help move the cows, bring food and lend a hand,” reflects Joe. The cows were temporarily rehomed to a farm owned by Joe’s cousin only six kilometres away where they stayed until the barns were rebuilt the following year. Joe says he’s also grateful Dairy Farmers of Ontario has plans in place for disasters, such as a fire, because there are a lot of decisions to make in a short amount of time.
Rebuilding together
Rebuilding their dairy farm soon became an all-consuming journey for the Terpstra family. While the disastrous fire brought the family closer as they worked together to manage the cows and the clean up, Joe says it was the rebuilding process that saw everyone draw even closer to make decisions about building structures and equipment and, most importantly, the future of their family farm.
Joe and Barb are proud of their four children, who are all in their 20s. While each of them had an interest in farming, the barn fire brought everyone back home to the farm to pitch in and help, and Barb believes the incident also helped the youngest two children realize their future is indeed tied to the succession of Cranbrook Farms.
“The process of rebuilding has extended to succession planning and working together to figure out how to sustain multiple generations and family members working together on the farm,” says Joe, adding it’s why every decision involved the entire family.
The first important decision was made four days after the fire when the family unanimously decided to replace their robots with a rotary milking parlour. That’s because the host farm where their cows were being housed had a rotary parlour milking system and they were all impressed by the speed and efficiency of the set up. The family had plenty of experience with the rotary parlour because, for the first three weeks they were on hand for both daily milkings to assist their cows that were otherwise trained on robotic milkers.
“The plan to install a rotary parlour in our rebuild also helped reorganize our workload and responsibilities among family members,” says Barb, who admits the robotic milkers were a great system for their time of life, especially when their kids were younger, but the rebuild offered them an opportunity to change.
“The new set up means we are taking new approaches.”
Planning for the future of their farm also meant the Terpstras had to factor in growth and expansion. Joe says the parlour will enable them to increase their production incrementally compared with a robotic system. He explains adding an additional robot to increase milk production can be inefficient if there isn’t enough quota available right away, while milking on a rotary parlour means he can use the equipment he has just by adding one more milking and rotation of the carousel.
Just a few months after the fire, on Nov. 13, 2023, the Terpstras started pouring concrete for their new barn build. The result was an eight-row, positive pressure tunnel barn with the potential for 820 stalls. For now, they are milking 420 cows that are housed in the barn, along with dry cows and heifers over six months of age. An auto teat sprayer and auto sorting system were also installed to help manage herd health and labour requirements. In addition, a sand recycling system was established, enabling the farm to reuse their sand bedding. Rubber mats were also installed for the milking cows. Joe says that, because the barn was built so fast, the concrete didn’t get a chance to cure completely. So, to reduce slipping, rubber mats were added to the project.
Another rainbow that came out of this challenging situation was the opportunity for the family to travel together to visit dairy barns and conduct barn design research. Joe says they are fortunate to have so many new dairy barns in their area they could tour, looking for new ideas and talking to fellow farmers who offered honest feedback and recommendations. The entire family even traveled to Alberta to visit dairy farms, an opportunity that would have otherwise been unheard of if it hadn’t been for the barn fire.
Rebuilding also provided the family with the opportunity to reevaluate their farm management. Joe says the choice to install a rotary parlour addressed areas that could be improved, such as providing new opportunities to enhance feeding and maintenance efficiencies.
The new barn, and entire milking and herd management system, was designed by the Terpstras for their farm and family’s future. On Sept. 3, 2024, 10 months after they started the rebuild, the cows were milked in the new barn for the first time.
We were left to look at the remains and smell the smoke every day. We didn’t even have cows to milk, and some days it felt like we were waking up without a purpose.
“We’re still learning and making adjustments as we go, but the transition has been smooth and the cows are adapting well,” says Joe. “This experience was a forced build, not a planned build, but everything came together and we’re grateful for all the people who provided advice and our contractors who made it all come together.”
Tough times and bright futures
The Terpstras have happily adapted to their new facility and are grateful to be working alongside each other, but the road to recovering from the fire hasn’t been easy.
“The hardest part is waiting,” says Barb, explaining that after the fire, they had no control over when they could begin to rebuild and were at the mercy of insurance specialists and engineers who had to give the green light before anything could be done. “We were left to look at the remains and smell the smoke every day. We didn’t even have cows to milk, and some days it felt like we were waking up without a purpose.”
The fire, loss of their livelihood and daily routine, combined with the pressure to plan a rebuild took a serious toll on their mental health, especially for Joe and Barb. They are grateful they still had their heifers to take care of, along with a feedlot they own nearby, but as Barb says, they felt like their daily life was left empty. “As farmers, our purpose and day-to-day routine are tied to the farm. Once you take that away, what do you have left? Especially when it’s gone so abruptly,” she says.
Not only were they faced with adjusting to a new routine without the cows, but the couple also had to immediately make decisions about how to manage the clean up and rebuild.
“There’s a huge need for mental health support, especially in the face of disasters when your world changes overnight,” says Barb. “You are faced with emotions you don’t even have a name for because you’ve never felt them before. And how are you supposed to deal with that?”
Joe says, “you have to learn how to separate emotion from business decisions. It’s hard to do because as a dairy farmer, your business and life are one.”
Joe and Barb admit the entire situation has been hard on their mental health. They are aware there are services available for farmers who need help, but point out that, in the hardest moments during the fire’s aftermath, they were too consumed with meeting with contractors, researching new technologies and dairy systems and dealing with insurance to reach out for help. They are grateful for the support of their family and community, but looking back, they both admit they could have used a phone call or visit from a farm group or industry organization to check in on them.
Despite their dark days, the Terpstras say they’ve made it through the fire and have come out the other side stronger than ever. “We are all closer as a family, we’ve had healthy conversations about our future and we have a greater appreciation for what we do,” says Joe.
As they rebuild from the ashes, the family is setting their farm up for success. Their new barn, milking and farm management approach has positioned them for growth. Their relationships with each other are stronger, and they are shaping a new and bright future for their farm and family.
Joe admits change is hard, but he’s embracing the change and is grateful to be able to wake up and love what he does every day.
There’s a huge need for mental health support, especially in the face of disasters when your world changes overnight. You are faced with emotions you don’t even have a name for because you’ve never felt them before. And how are you supposed to deal with that?
Managing cows based on personality traits
As precision dairy farming continues to evolve, personality traits could play a significant role in breeding decisions
By Anna Schwanke, PhD graduate of the University of Guelph’s Department of Animal Biosciences under the supervision of Dr. Trevor DeVries
Did you know your cows' personality traits could be affecting their behaviour and productivity?
University of Guelph researchers have demonstrated personality traits like fearfulness, explorative behaviours and activeness can influence how cows respond to management decisions, including the amount of concentrate provided in automated milking systems (AMS), stocking density and transitioning between milking systems. Understanding these traits could help dairy producers and consultants make informed decisions to optimize feeding strategies, breeding programs and manage herd welfare.
Better feed management in AMS
In an initial study, when researchers provided cows six kilograms of concentrate pellet per day in an AMS, more fearful cows only consumed four kg/d, while less fearful cows consumed their full allotment. The more fearful cows had less total dry matter intake (DMI) and greater day-to-day variability in DMI when they were given six kg/d of concentrate in the AMS compared with three kg/d. Understanding how personality traits impact feed efficiency and ration management could help ensure every cow meets her nutritional needs and help prevent unintended feed sharing in an AMS.
Responding to stocking density challenges
In another study, researchers investigated how cows handled increased competition for feed through greater feed bunk stocking density. Fearful cows visited the feed bunk more frequently, while bolder cows increased their eating rate. Active and explorative cows thrived under higher competition, achieving their milk production potential, while less active and explorative cows either maintained or dropped production. These findings suggest personality traits play a crucial role in how cows cope with competition, which could help inform decisions on stocking density and pen design.
Adapting to milking system transitions
Switching cows to an AMS showed activeness played a bigger role than expected. Researchers believed boldness would predict how well cows adapted to an AMS, but that was not the case. Initially, more active cows experienced more challenges, such as decreased milk production and more teat cup kickoffs. However, after eight weeks, these active cows had fewer teat cup kickoffs than their less active herd mates.
In a more recent study, less active and explorative cows exposed to the AMS unit (without feed or operations) prior to their first milking had more voluntary visits and milkings than their herd mates who lacked this exposure. Collectively, these studies demonstrate the importance of considering personality when planning major management changes, potentially guiding culling decisions, as well as how tailored management strategies can improve adaption of new technologies by identifying cows that may benefit from prior training.
How can farmers use personality traits?
As precision dairy farming continues to evolve, personality traits could play a significant role in breeding decisions, culling and individualized management strategies. By tailoring feeding strategies, housing management and adaptation protocols to individual traits, producers may be able to enhance herd productivity and welfare. For now, recognizing cows respond differently to management challenges is key. Research is moving toward simpler, on-farm methods for assessing traits, potentially leveraging existing data like activity, rumination and milking records. As well, initial research demonstrating some degree of heritability of personality traits offers promising applications for genetic selection management.
What is a personality trait?
Personality traits are consistent patterns of behaviour across time and situations. For dairy cows, this goes beyond familiar terms like milking temperament. Traits like boldness (or fearfulness), activeness, explorative nature, sociability and aggressiveness help describe how cows react in various scenarios—such as encountering an unfamiliar environment, object, person or another cow.
While personality traits are consistent over time, they can also be flexible. For example, a cow that is bold when she is open in early lactation might be less bold later when pregnant. However, her boldness compared to other cows remains relatively stable from one lactation to the next, and her change in boldness between early and late lactation will also be relatively consistent from one lactation to another.
Measuring cow personality
Researchers can assess cow personalities by observing cows in various situations, such as exposure to unfamiliar objects or people, and record behaviours like walking, vocalizing and time taken to approach an unfamiliar object, cow or person. Patterns in these behaviours are analyzed to identify personality traits. Each cow is then scored for each trait identified in the test. To ensure reliability, tests are repeated over time and under different conditions.
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Mountain View Electric Ltd.
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Dairy Lane Systems
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ONTARIO
Conestogo Agri Systems Inc.
Drayton — 519 638.3022
1 800 461-3022
Dairy Lane Systems
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Lawrence’s Dairy Supply Inc.
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McCann Farm Automation Ltd.
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McLaren Works
Cobden — 613 646-2062
Performance Dairy Centre Inc.
Embro — 519 423-9119
Wood’s Dairy Source
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ATLANTIC PROVINCES
Atlantic Dairy Tech.
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Sheehy Enterprises Ltd.
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P5 demand continues to be stronger for start of dairy year
P5 demand has been slightly stronger (0.05 per cent), on average, than the Canadian Dairy Commission’s (CDC) optimistic scenario for the first four months of the 2024-25 dairy year. During the same period, P5 butterfat production has been, on average, 1.5 pr cent stronger than what was forecasted.
The butterfat content in P5 and Ontario milk has reached levels that are higher than the already record level for the 2023 fall months, reaching levels as high as 4.41 per cent for P5 in November 2024, as well as for Ontario in December 2024. The higher
production than demand has resulted in higher-than-expected butter stocks level for November 2024 at 30,400 tonnes.
“P5 production seems to be leading the current and anticipated future P5 demand,” says Patrice Dubé, Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s chief economics and policy development officer. “Whether the market will respond and catch up to production remains to be seen over the coming months.”
In November 2024, cheese stocks reached 99,932 tonnes, up from October by 542
tonnes. November cheese stock levels are higher than they have been for the same month in at least three years.
The butter stock level for November 2024 was at 30,427 tonnes, which is lower compared with October by 548 tonnes, and higher than they have been for the same month in at least five years.
For the 52-weeks ending November 28, 2024, sales for fluid milk, fluid cream, yogurt, ice cream, cheese and butter increased/ decreased by 0.1, 1.6, 3.9, 1.6, 3.3 and 5.7 per cent, respectively.
A monthly recap of markets and production trends in Canada and Ontario
CANADIAN REQUIREMENTS AND PRODUCTION
Canadian butterfat requirements in kilograms and actual butterfat production across the P10.
12-month production (in millions of kilograms)
12-month requirements (in millions of kilograms)
Canadian production has increased by 2.0 per cent over the previous 12 months, and requirements have increased by 1.9 per cent over the previous 12 months.
NATIONAL RETAIL SALES
Average increase in retail sales for dairy products sold in Ontario and the dairy product’s share of the total market sales, including at hotels, restaurants and institutions.
This graph shows Ontario’s SNF-BF ratio for the last 12 months.
November 2024: 2.117
As of March 26, 2022
* Source: AC Nielsen & StatsCan NOTE: There is a two-month lag in the national retail sales data.
NOVEMBER HIGHLIGHTS
• P5 demand has been slightly stronger (0.05 per cent), on average, than the Canadian Dairy Commission’s (CDC) optimistic scenario for the first four months of the 2024-25 dairy year;
• In November 2024, cheese stocks reached 99,932 tonnes, up from October by 542 tonnes. November cheese stock levels are higher than they have been for the same month in at least three years;
• The butter stock level for November 2024 was at 30,427 tonnes, which is lower compared with October by 548 tonnes, and higher than they have been for the same month in at least five years
ONTARIO UTILIZATION
Percentage of the total milk produced in Ontario that was used to produce dairy products.
202411
Fluid Milk & Cream Yogurt and Ice Cream Cheese
Butter & Powders Skim Milk Non Marketed
November 2024
P10 UTILIZATION BY CLASS
For November 2024 (kg of butterfat/kg of solids non-fat)
*There is a two-month lag reporting these figures
% Solids non-fat
% Butterfat
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
ONTARIO MONTHLY PRODUCER AVERAGE GROSS BLEND PRICE
A total 3,163 producers sold milk to DFO in October compared with 3,210 a year earlier. November
ONTARIO DEDUCTIONS,
PER
For November 2024
* These figures are based on Ontario’s average composition for November 2024 of 4.3744 kg butterfat, 3.3419 kg protein and 5.9186 kg other solids, rounded to the nearest cent.
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).
*There is a two-month lag reporting these figures
$96
$94
$92
$90
$86 $88
$84
$82
$80
U.S. CLASS PRICES
The December 2024 Class III Price, US$18.62 per hundredweight, is equivalent to C$60.79 per hectolitre. This equivalent is based on the exchange rate US $1 = C$ 1.43817 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.
Source: USDA
QUOTA PRICES ($/KG)
Co-ordinated by Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s communications and economics divisions. Questions? Please email questions@milk.org.
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Milking good vibes: cultivating wellness on your farm
There is a growing emphasis on
By Halima Tambadou, Research Professional - Sustainability and Environment, Lactanet, Simon Jetté-Nantel, agr, PhD, Economist, Lactanet
DAIRY FARMING IS KNOWN TO BE ONE OF THE MOST MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY CHALLENGING PROFESSIONS. The demanding lifestyle often makes it tough for producers to find a healthy work-life balance, which can lead some to compromise their personal well-being. Unfortunately, because of producers’ central position in operating the dairy farm, changes in their well-being often reverberate through the entire operation, affecting the workplace culture, employees' wellness and, in turn, animal welfare (see Figure 1).
Virtuous cycle of dairy wellbeing
aims to enhance profitability. However, unresolved issues among family members can negatively affect farmer well-being and the farm’s financial health and profitability. While there are clear advantages in working with family—such as stronger trust, shared values and a profound sense of unity and belonging—this dynamic also comes with challenges. Making difficult decisions that impact loved ones can be especially tough. Striking a balance between maintaining professionalism and nurturing family ties can be a delicate undertaking.
Recognizing stress factors can promote understanding among family members, which is essential for the sustainability of families and farms. This principle also applies to employees since a sense of belonging boosts engagement and retention, and encourages open conversations, building an inclusive culture and empowering employees. It is also important to foster a sense of psychological safety where everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas. Plus, having fun team-bonding activities can help connect and support employees, making the workplace feel like a community.
Workplace happiness matters
Labour
shortages increase need for improved workplace culture
There is a growing emphasis on well-being and work-life balance, including among aspiring dairy producers. Labour shortages are increasing the need to improve workplace culture and employee well-being, while animal welfare is also becoming a significant concern. As a result, enhancing farmer well-being should be a key focus in any strategy designed to ensure a farm’s sustainability and promote the industry’s overall welfare and social sustainability.
There is no such thing as “what happens at work stays at work.”
The business environment of family-owned and operated Canadian dairy farms fosters a deeply intertwined relationship between the family unit, the home and the farm itself. That can be a strength when shared values and collaboration among family members help establish a shared vision that addresses both economic and social goals, nurturing a spirit of teamwork that
It is well-documented that a boss's attitude can substantially impact their employees and colleagues. Research indicates leaders who exhibit a positive outlook about themselves tend to cultivate a work environment that fosters comfort, engagement and motivation among their staff. Ultimately, employees who are happier and more satisfied with their work experience often have increased profits, improved performance and favourable outcomes in various personal areas.
However, managing employees presents challenges that can be quite stressful for farmers, as highlighted in the study by LeHeiget (2024), who interviewed dairy farmers about their well-being. One farmer shared, “My stress from employees has gone from above my head down to my toes.” Recent quantitative research conducted in Western Canada and Ontario echoed these observations. A notable trend highlighted is that farmers who work with non-family employees tend to have much higher anxiety levels than those who work mostly with family members (Tambadou, 2024). Additionally, the study found farmers with larger workforces reported getting less sleep. (Figure 2). This suggests managing employees may negatively impact mental health and reduce time available for rest.
Figure 1. Virtuous cycle of dairy well-being
Developing skills as an employer is feasible, accessible and can help reduce the stress and anxiety involved in managing a workforce. In 2018, some Wisconsin farmers were interviewed to learn about their motivation to become better employers. They almost universally cited stress reduction as the number one benefit of improved employee management skills. One mentioned a reduction in animal handling errors, another reported less absenteeism and better retention. The bottom line was a boss who sleeps better (Hoard’s Dairyman, August 2018). This is all a worthwhile return on investment into improving employee management skills where needed.
Retaining
and attracting workers can be a challenging stressor
The current labour market trends suggest a persistent shortage of workers for the foreseeable future, leaving producers to face head-on the challenges of attracting and retaining workers in a competitive labour market. Foreign workers’ contributions help to fill this gap. However, the process of hiring temporary foreign workers can be intricate in terms of paperwork, administrative burden and delays, which can lead to significant stress for farmers who depend on this program (Finnigan, 2019). This reliance can also lead to communication struggles with foreign workers, particularly where language barriers exist. These misunderstandings can result in mistakes in managing the cows, negatively impacting animal welfare and leading to more veterinary costs and unintended challenges in disease detection and treatment (Barkema et al.,To 2015).
Given the growing importance of foreign workers, it is time to make improvements. What is needed is a shared commitment to take significant steps toward integrating foreign farm workers and help make Canada’s dairy farms truly welcoming. The first step is to recognize some key challenges in integrating foreign workers:
• Language barriers and communication styles;
• Legal and administrative challenges;
• Lack of support and/or structure;
• Stress (new environment, wages, being away from family).
Animal welfare: a plus for mental health?
Producers’ and employees’ attitudes can affect animal welfare, but the reverse is also true. Due to their caregiving roles, farmers experience increased risks of stress-related conditions, including depression, anxiety and compassion fatigue. Recent research has started to examine the emotional challenges related to animal suffering. Studies show while many farmers are comfortable making difficult decisions like culling or euthanasia,
Some resources for farmers to assist with overcoming these challenges can be found at:
• Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council: https://hrtoolkit.cahrc-ccrha.ca/
• FCC Knowledge: www.fcc-fac.ca/en/knowledge/ managing-people
• Workplace Safety and Prevention Services: www.wsps.ca
they often experience significant emotional stress and compassion fatigue (Román-Muñiz et al., 2021). To cope, farmers should consider counselling, job assistance, breaks and time off. The best strategy though is skillsbased training to help prevent premature culling or euthanasia.
This all sounds promising, but how can a farmer achieve happiness? This is a challenging question since each manager is unique. Nevertheless, the most important thing one can do is be aware of their feelings daily and prioritize self-care. Just as farmers offer support to their teams, it is equally important to ensure they are nurturing their own well-being.
Producers should remember to approach everything at their own pace and be gentle with themselves throughout their farming journey.
LIKE NOTHING ELSE
Figure 2. Employees’ and producers’ anxiety and sleep
Ingredient variability affects ration balancing
Formulation
By Essi Evans, Ph.D. E+E Technical Advisory Services
DAIRY COWS RESPOND TO A CONSISTENT SUPPLY OF NUTRIENTS to meet their requirements for milk production. These requirements must be met with ever changing ingredients that must be frequently adjusted to maintain the needed consistency. The most obvious variations in nutrient supply result from forages, which change in composition from season to season, cut and even harvest date. The first step in ration balancing is to sample forages and assess their nutrient supply, modifying the diet to accommodate the forages. Sometimes, cows do not respond as they should to these changes, and all too often forages are blamed. But what about the remaining ration ingredients?
The concentrate ingredients consisting of grains, vegetable proteins and byproducts typically supply a large part of the ration energy and protein. These ingredients are generally not sent for analysis, and instead, tabular values are used to assign nutrient values when diets are balanced. These values are historical - based on averages from the past - and may not represent ingredients being fed. Also, in many cases, the source of the data related to any feed ingredient is unknown.
Outcomes can be improved by periodically updating databases with local information. Byproducts tend to be the most variable ingredients. If these are being purchased as commodities, then it is important to obtain information on their nutrient composition from the manufacturer since manufacturing methods vary and, as a result, so do nutrient profiles.
One example is dried distillers’ grains and solubles (DDGS). Table 1 shows the range in key nutrients for this ingredient as published by Dairy One Forage Laboratory. This product is highly variable in both protein and oil content due to differing processing methods, and using the correct values is instrumental in producing well-balanced rations.
Byproducts tend to be the most variable ingredients. If these are being purchased as commodities, then it is important to obtain information on their nutrient composition from the manufacturer since manufacturing methods vary and, as a result, so do nutrient profiles.
Table 1. Variation in nutrient composition of DDGS (dairyone.com)
Feeding value of grains and vegetable proteins are often considered consistent. However, this can lead to formulation mistakes for several reasons. Seed varieties are adapted to regional growing conditions. Thus, soybean meal or corn grain grown in Ontario might differ from corn grown in Iowa, Texas or even New Brunswick. Season has a considerable influence on these ingredients' composition.
Yearly information for many proteins and grains produced throughout Canada can be obtained from grainscanada.gc.ca. Using canola meal, as an example, the oil-free protein content of the seed harvested in 2024 averaged 41.7 per cent as fed, with a range of 40.9 to 43.7 per cent. However, as the graph shows, there is considerable variation from year to year.
Feed represents one of the biggest costs for your dairy operation. By periodically acquiring accurate information with which to update ingredient databases, you can improve formulation accuracy.
Graph: Protein content of oil-free canola meal. The graph demonstrates the importance of obtaining up-to-date feeding values for concentrate ingredients, as opposed to relying on database values. This graph was obtained from canolamazing.com. Many commodity groups published up-to-date information on nutrient composition, which are easily found through search engines.
“We have used Udder Comfort™ over 10 years on fresh cows. It works tremendously on fresh 2-year-olds. It softens udders quickly, reducing pressure and increasing comfort for better performance. We use the blue spray in the parlor and white lotion at shows,” says Jeff King, KingsRansom Farm, Schuylerville, New York, milking 1000 registered Holsteins producing over 14,000 kgs M at 90,000 SCC. Award-winning King Brothers Dairy products start with quality udders making quality milk. They brought seven homebred animals to the 2024 World Dairy Expo and brought home rst, best udder, and best bred and owned junior 3-year-old Kings-Ransom Doc Drizzlin EX92 (at left). The Kings also had rst among competitive best 3 females.
— Jeff King
DFC IN ACTION
FEBRUARY 2025
DISCOVER MORE FARMER RESOURCES FROM DAIRY FARMERS OF CANADA
LEARN ABOUT OUR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION INITIATIVES
Every year, DFC and its partners invest in scientific research, much of which occurs in collaboration with dairy farmers. In 2024, 700 dairy farms were among those working with DFC and other partners on ongoing research related to farm efficiency and sustainability, animal health, care and welfare practices, dairy’s role in nutrition and health, and overall industry innovation.
The results of funded research are shared in accessible ways for dairy farmers, their on-farm advisors, and any other dairy professionals, decision-makers, and stakeholders who are committed to our shared progress. For more information about past results, ongoing research, and resources, visit our website at https://dairyfarmersofcanada.ca/en/ dairy-research
SUBSCRIBE TO THE CANADIAN PODCOW PODCAST
Named one of the best “Canadian Agriculture Podcasts You Must Follow” in 2024 by Feedspot, the Canadian Podcow has offered wide-ranging conversations about key dairy industry issues since 2021. Hosts and dairy farmers Sarah Sache and Andrew Campbell welcome expert guests to explore and analyze topics such as biosecurity, cybersecurity, and the dairy value chain.
The Canadian Podcow is found on all major podcasting platforms, and new listeners can catch up on the back catalogue for free. We recommend the conversation on the Canadian Dairy Hub with Vicki Brisson, Lactanet’s National Knowledge Mobilization Manager –an episode that you can also watch at Youtube.com/@CanadianPodcow!
Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) offers a wide variety of tools and resources to support dairy farmers. It’s one of the ways we’re helping to strengthen dairy’s place in the healthy, sustainable Canadian diet of today and tomorrow. Here are some online resources designed for dairy farmers and their teams to help them learn more, act on the latest innovations, and have a pulse on DFC’s national advocacy efforts.
ACCESS KEY INFORMATION ON BEST PRACTICES AND INNOVATION ON THE CANADIAN DAIRY HUB
DFC and Lactanet recently unveiled the Canadian Dairy Hub, a one-stop-spot for education and knowledge transfer. With a goal to support Canadian dairy farmers and their advisors as they navigate industry change, this hub offers free science-based and practical expertise designed to give users the most up-to-date information on dairy best practices and innovations. It includes a full suite of resources such as webinars, workshops, discussion groups, infographics, online modules, and printable materials.
Mark your calendars: on February 12, join the webinar “Reproductive Success Starts Way Before Breeding”; on March 11, tune in to “How Beef Semen is Reshaping Dairy Herds.” Learn more about registration and the Canadian Dairy Hub at: lactanet.ca/en/learning/canadian-dairy-hub/
SIGN UP FOR THE DAIRY EXPRESS
Farmers can learn more about cutting-edge research, DFC advocacy efforts and the latest news by signing up for DFC’s Dairy Express newsletter (L’Express Laitier in French). This newsletter, exclusive to dairy farmers, is also the tool we use to communicate pressing issues directly with dairy farmers. Sign up today to be sure you are not missing any important information.
Dairy farmers can be added to our mailing list by emailing communications@dfc-plc.ca with their name, farm, location, and farm identification number.
Winter weather hutch strategies can set calves up for success
Proper ventilation ensures optimal air quality and temperature control in calf housing
By Veal Farmers of Ontario
WINTER IN ONTARIO PRESENTS UNIQUE CHALLENGES FOR DAIRY FARMERS,
particularly when it comes to caring for young calves. Calf hutches are a popular solution for housing calves, but they require special consideration during the colder months to ensure their health and well-being. Here are some key strategies for optimizing calf hutch use in winter.
Weather challenges and solutions
Snow load management: Ontario winters can bring heavy snowfall. Choose hutches that can handle a lot of snow and regularly clear snow off the tops to prevent collapse. This helps ensure the safety and stability of the hutches, protecting the calves inside.
Temperature extremes: Extreme cold is common. Use calf jackets or extra insulation to keep hutches at a comfortable temperature. Maintaining a consistent temperature inside the hutch is crucial for the calves' health and comfort.
Water management
Preventing freezing: Make sure calves always have fresh water. Use heated waterers or insulated buckets to prevent water from freezing. Check water sources twice daily during very cold weather. Regularly checking water sources ensures calves always have access to hydration, which is vital for their growth and health.
Drainage: Keep the area around hutches dry to prevent ice. Good drainage helps avoid slippery spots that can be dangerous for calves and workers.
• Place hutches on elevated surfaces, such as gravel or raised platforms, to prevent water from pooling around them;
• Ensure the ground around the hutches properly slopes away. This helps direct water run-off away from the area, preventing puddles and ice formation;
• Spread sand or straw around hutches to improve traction and absorb excess moisture. This can help reduce ice formation and provide a safer walking surface.
Health and welfare
Frostbite prevention: Calves can get frostbite on their ears and tails. Check them regularly and provide plenty of bedding and shelter to keep them warm. Early detection and frostbite prevention can save calves from severe injuries and discomfort.
Nutritional needs: Calves need more energy to stay warm in cold weather. This means they require more calories from their milk or milk replacer. For every degree below their comfort zone (around 15 to 25°C for newborns), their energy needs increase by about two per cent.
Ensure the ground around the hutches properly slopes away. This helps direct water run-off away from the area, preventing puddles and ice formation.
• You can increase the amount of milk or milk replacer you feed. This can be done by increasing the volume per feeding or adding an extra feeding each day. For example, if you usually feed twice daily, consider adding a third feeding.
Emergency preparedness
Backup power: Winter storms can cause power outages. Have a backup power source, like a generator, to keep heated waterers and other equipment running. This ensures essential systems remain operational, even during severe weather.
Emergency supplies: Bad weather can make it hard to get supplies. Keep extra bedding, feed and medical supplies on hand to care for your calves during winter storms. Being well-prepared helps maintain calf care routines without interruption.
By incorporating these additional considerations into your winter calf hutch management practices, you can significantly enhance your calves’ well-being and comfort. Proper preparation and proactive management are key to ensuring your calves thrive even in Ontario’s harshest winter conditions.
Calf Care Corner, brought to you by Veal Farmers of Ontario, delivers the latest information to help you improve the way calves are raised on your farm.
Follow @CalfCareCorner on Facebook and sign-up for monthly e-newsletters on calfcare.ca.
Free Mental Health Training for the Agricultural Community
In the Know is a training tailored to the agricultural community that increases understanding of mental health and wellness, normalizes conversations about mental
Making safe milk accessible
University of Waterloo students introduce Kenyan and Rwandan dairy farmers to portable milk pasteurization unit
By Sean Tarry
THREE STUDENTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO’S COMPUTER SCIENCE AND BUSINESS PROGRAMS recently introduced Kenyan and Rwandan dairy farmers to the world’s first portable off-the-grid milk pasteurization unit as part of a government-endorsed pilot project. A little more than six months later, the recent university graduates are on the verge of revolutionizing milk safety in East Africa, securing $100,000 in funding from Acumen – a non-profit impact investment fund.
Addressing challenges
The startup’s CEO, Miraal Kabir, along with partners Daria Margarit and Martin Turuta, began ideating the innovation in 2020 as a submission to the Challenge4ClimateAction competition – a challenge for young entrepreneurs to address a significant problem posed by climate change. They focused on a way financial limitations of milk pasteurization by African farmers could be alleviated and, as a result, ensure safer milk for locals to purchase and consume.
“Most countries in East Africa have regulations in place that require milk to be pasteurized at facilities,” says Kabir. “However, most of the milk that’s produced in the region is sold locally by farmers who can’t afford the traditional pasteurization technology, and so the milk doesn’t get pasteurized. Our goal with our portable units is to enable milk pasteurization by local farmers who produce an estimated 90 per cent of the region’s milk, but often receive a fraction of its value from the large pasteurization companies. Our device allows them to sell their milk at the pasteurized market premium while providing their customers with a safe product.”
Needless to say, the trio won the Challenge4ClimateAction competition, as well as a few others since, and this past May began a pilot project to distribute 25 of their portable milk pasteurizing units to farmers in Kenya.
Positive pilot results
Results of the pilot have been impressive to this point, facilitating the sale of 30,000 litres of pasteurized milk by local farmers. And, because those using the device are no longer required to boil their milk, they don’t lose any of their product to evaporation. This, combined with the longer shelf life that’s made possible by pasteurization, allows farmers to make 33 per cent more income compared with selling raw, unpasteurized milk.
In addition, eliminating the need to boil the milk not only allows farmers to retain the entirety of their product, it also ensures essential nutrients within the milk are preserved (pasteurization results in 38.35 per cent more fat, 30.81 per cent more protein and 30 per cent more vitamin B12, B1 and C as opposed to boiling), yielding a healthier product for the consumer. As well, because the unit uses solar energy as opposed to electricity, it results in a 25 per cent reduction in firewood and fossil fuel consumption.
Social impact
The Safi experiment has also served to enhance and empower communities within the pilot regions. It’s a social impact Kabir recognizes and is proud to be a part of. But she stresses it’s an impact that has only been made possible through the power of education.
“What’s been made very clear to me throughout the process of working with farmers piloting our device is the fact that education is the most powerful tool at our disposal when it comes to creating or effecting positive social change,” she asserts. “To help lay the foundation of the pilot project, we conducted a number of workshops that provided local farmers and students with information and education about the importance and benefits of pasteurization. What we’ve found is those workshops helped create an incredible ripple effect in which farmers share their knowledge with customers, peers and family who each then share what they’ve discovered with others.”
The pilot undertaken by the Safi team is an endeavour that has to date helped make safe and nutritious milk accessible to more than 500 families in East Africa while empowering farmers and communities.
Sparking innovation
In fact, the Safi team’s efforts around education have paid off in ways that transcend the pilot project altogether, providing examples of the possibilities that can result from the transfer of knowledge. Benson Osodo, for instance, is a dairy farmer in Kibisi in Kenya’s Bungoma County who recently connected with the Safi team and started using the pasteurization device. Inspired by the increase in revenue he was generating as a result, he put his mind toward learning how to ferment and package milk, effectively doubling his income.
“To see the innovation our device has sparked is definitely one of the most rewarding results from our efforts,” says Kabir. “It’s so exciting to see the farmers’ entrepreneurial instincts kick in once they’re armed with the information and understanding they need to begin fulfilling the potential of their operations and create a more sustainable livelihood for their families. It feels really good to help provide people with the tools that are necessary in order to empower themselves and realize what’s possible.”
Scaling impact
The pilot undertaken by the Safi team is an endeavour that has to date helped make safe and nutritious milk accessible to more than 500 families in East Africa while empowering farmers and communities. They are initial results Kabir says she and the team are really pleased with, and they believe they reflect not only the need for a device like the Safi pasteurizer, but its effectiveness in achieving the company’s social, health and wellness goals in the region, too. She describes them as extremely positive, and suggests in combination with the $100,000 injection of funding from Acumen, they represent a major turning point for Safi and the start of a very bright future.
First and foremost, this funding allows us to get 1,000 more of our pasteurizing devices in the hands of East African farmers by June 2025.
– Miraal Kabir
“First and foremost, this funding allows us to get 1,000 more of our pasteurizing devices in the hands of East African farmers by June 2025. And, more importantly, it is also going to allow all three of us to quit our current jobs and move to Rwanda to work on the project full-time. We get to run with the project that we started, taking the learnings from 25 farmers using our device and scaling that up to 1,000 farmers’ learnings, positioning us well to demonstrate our business model and continue to grow the company and spread the positive change we’ve helped create.”
For more information about Safi, visit www.safi.world.
Entanglements can be risky
Prevent them with these safety tips
By Workplace Safety and Prevention Services
AT FULL SPEED, A POWER TAKE-OFF (PTO) OPERATES AT 1,000 REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE (RPM). That’s 16.6 rotations a second. And each one of those rotations has enough torque to remove a limb in 1/16 of a second. Clearly, there is no room for error.
Since PTOs can be a risk to worker safety, you may consider not using them at all; but we know that is not practical. PTOs have many uses on dairy farms and provide valuable efficiency when used safely.
“When you’re hooking up an implement and you are hunched over standing between two tractor wheels, there’s not a lot of room, which
is why it’s important to understand the risks and to follow a safe work procedure,” says Ryan Dick, health and safety consultant with Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS).
Stationary guards are a must
“I still see people operating a PTO shaft without a stationary guard and that’s a problem,” says Ryan. “The PTO shaft guard should not turn with the PTO shaft. The guard should be chained securely to an anchor point and there should be no slack in that chain.” He explains having a guard in place is a good start, but if it’s rotating with the shaft, it won't protect a worker from getting caught in the equipment. The guard or safety shield must be secured in place to perform properly.
Ryan also emphasizes the importance of training. Those who have not been trained to work with PTOs should not be working around them. “This includes truck drivers,” says Ryan. “I often see drivers get out of the truck to help load or unload and they will step over or around the PTO shaft. If they have not been trained on the hazards of working near a PTO, they should not be there.” Remember that as the farm owner or operator, you are responsible for the safety of everyone on your farm.
To learn more, check out the Agriculture Safety Centre from WSPS (wsps.news/Ag-Safety).
British Columbia DAIRY FARM FOR SALE
Going Concern
Dykman Cattle Co. Ltd. and Nechako River Quality Hay (together, the “Company”) is a licensed dairy producer with significant farmland holdings near Abbotsford and ancillary properties near Vanderhoof, BC.
Farm Sale includes:
• 1,000 kg / day Continuous Daily Quota
• Modern dairy facility including 60 stall rotary parlour
• Modern dairy barn with milking cow capacity of approximately 1100 head including all milking cows and young stock
• 480+ acres of Fraser Valley farm land in multiple parcels
• 1,900+ acres including a feedlot near Vanderhoof, BC in multiple parcels
To obtain further information, please contact: Elizabeth Miles, Senior Manager elizabeth.miles@pwc.com www.pwc.com/ca/dykman Pricewaterhouse Coopers Inc. LIT, 115 5th Ave. Suite 3100, Calgary, AB, Canada T2P 5L3
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Todd Holm, Holmdale Holsteins Elmwood, ON
Milking 180 Holsteins with robots in a compost bedded pack barn.