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NOVEMBER 2021
da Ma te rke on ts pa ge
FULFILLING THE DREAM OF DAIRY FARMING Young farmers work their way up the sharemilking ladder in New Zealand
Publications Mail Sales Agreement No. 40063866
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Conestogo Agri Systems Inc. Alma — 519 638-3022
Performance Dairy Centre Inc. Embro — 519 423-9119
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Wood’s Dairy Source Keene — 705 295-3247
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Dairy Lane Systems Leduc — 780 986-5600
Dairy Lane Systems Osler — 306 242-5850 Emerald Park — 306 721-6844
McCann Farm Automation Ltd. Seeley’s Bay — 613 382-7411
Sheehy Entreprises Ltd. Shubenacadie — 902 758-2002
Vol. 97 No. 11
CONTENTS PUBLISHED BY DAIRY FARMERS OF ONTARIO 6780 Campobello Rd., Mississauga, Ont., L5N 2L8
Editorial Board column
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Producer op-ed
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ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Pat Logan pat.logan@milk.org 519-788-1559
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.
Dairy Research
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Dairy News BTMG profile
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Opinions expressed herein are those of the author and/or 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.
Start-Up Program
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Cow longevity
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Corn silage
35
2022 Milk Calendar
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New N Noted
Producer profile
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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 Calf care
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Farm safety
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Manure management
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EDITORIAL
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ENVIRONMENTAL FARM PLANS: A KEY PART OF A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR OUR DAIRY SECTOR By Murray Sherk
DFO CHAIR
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s of Sept. 1, the proAction environment module became mandatory. Completion of an environmental farm plan (EFP) within the last 10 years is one of the requirements. Farmers must develop an action plan that lists all identified risks, along with a timeline and options to address them. Some of the topics covered under an EFP include water use efficiency, manure storage, fertilizer handling and storing, as well as nutrient and pest management. On our farm, our proAction validation is due in November 2021. Several months ago, we began looking at how we would comply with the requirement for an EFP. Though we
completed one many years ago, we knew it was time for an update. Since EFP courses are on hold due to COVID restrictions, we decided to update our EFP online. If you haven’t considered it, it’s a convenient option you may wish to explore. The online option covers the same material as the in-class session. What we liked most about it was it allowed us to work through the learnings at our own pace and in our own time. Although lengthy, the course material was organized and easy to understand; navigating through it was easy. Although I don’t enjoy working through paperwork (or in this case e-work), the exercise brought to mind a number of tasks to consider doing on my farm that I either had not thought of or forgotten about. I recall hearing a talk by Dr. Roberta Bondar, a neurologist who became Canada’s first female astronaut when she launched aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1992. At the time, she said a few words that have stuck with me, which was she “enjoyed leafing
through magazines because she found something she wasn’t looking for.” I was reminded of this statement when going through the EFP course. I had some things on my mind I knew needed addressing, such as capping an abandoned well and placing barriers around a fuel tank, but there were other tasks that weren’t on my mind. Chapter 23 in the online course called Woodlands and Wildlife touched on some areas I have been neglecting and would not have thought about if we didn’t have to complete an EFP. I believe if we all embrace what is revealed in our EFPs and follow through with action plans, we will set ourselves and our industry up for an environmentally sustainable future. There is much discussion at DFO and Dairy Farmers of Canada about the way forward regarding how we care for the environment and reducing our industry’s impact. The completion and implementation of our EFPs is certainly a step in the right direction to help us achieve these goals.
IF YOU DON’T START TELLING YOUR STORY, SOMEONE ELSE WILL By Erica Sayles
OPINION
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hether you like it or not, it’s up to you. That’s the cold hard truth about sharing our industry with consumers who are genuinely interested in knowing where their food comes from. These are the same consumers you see on the street, who drive with you through traffic and who play on your kids’ baseball team. Their interest in learning where their food comes from will lead them through Internet searches and social media feeds. Whatever they find is what they will read, so we have a responsibility to put accurate information out there for them to find. That is what ran through my mind after my quarantine boredom buster of downloading the TikTok app and having a few videos I created blow up. One silly video of a cute calf reached 400,000 people. Next thing you know, I have a platform of 10,000 followers and a lot of comments and strangers asking questions, 4
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but what concerned me was the answers left by random people who were not farmers, putting what they thought were facts out there for others to find. Since February, I have helped provide entertainment and answers to a growing crowd of consumers from all around the world, with videos reaching more than two million people in some cases. Knowing that when they open their phone, they can find me explaining how we raise calves from my first-hand experience instead of someone fear mongering with misinformation they heard in a documentary, provides me with some peace of mind. You might be asking the age-old question: “Well, what can I do?” The power you have for our industry is right in your hands. Posting pictures is an easy way to share what you do and encourage conversations about where food comes from. Uploading a picture on social media, even if it’s just for your friends to see, gives your non-farmer friends an image of farming. Taking time to thoughtfully answer a question from another parent at your kids’ hockey game can also have
just as much of an impact. It doesn’t have to be a big action to have a big impact. Showing consumers farmers are parents, friends, athletes and community leaders helps demystify farming and opens up their comfort level to ask more pressing questions. Representing agriculture and the dairy industry in your everyday life is easier than it may seem. You do not have to make a vlog or start a separate Instagram account to be impactful. Sharing the odd Facebook post from the barn, or sharing what you do every day on your Instagram stories is a great start. You can also share other farmers’ or organizations’ trusted content, too. It just takes a few simple clicks and some friendly conversations and we can start bridging the gap. Erica Sayles is an Ontario dairy farmer dedicated to spreading awareness about Canadian agriculture on social media. Follow her on TikTok @jerseywow.
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MILKPRODUCER | NOVEMBER 2021
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DAIRY NEWS
CREAMY HOLIDAY coffee nog recipe from the 2022 Milk Calendar.
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CELEBRATING 45 YEARS OF DELIVERING CLASSIC DAIRY-INSPIRED RECIPES
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or more than four decades, families across the country have looked to the iconic Milk Calendar for delicious dairy-inspired recipes. This year’s 2022 Milk Calendar carries on that proud tradition by celebrating 45 years of delivering Canadian dairy inspiration to home kitchens across Canada. “This year is about celebrating the nostalgic roots and 45-year legacy of the iconic Milk Calendar,” says Kimberly Romany, senior marketing manager for nutrition and culinary at Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO). “Over the years, millions of Canadians have enjoyed the calendar’s hundreds of delicious dairy-inspired recipes, and we are proud to continue that legacy for generations to come.” The 2022 Milk Calendar includes 17 classic Canadian dairy-inspired recipes, including creamy holiday coffee nog, grilled shrimp and cheese kebabs with lemon sauce, meatball pitas with buttermilk herb sauce and more. Inspired by some of the favourite recipes from past Milk Calendars, all the recipes are created with local ingredients and reflect Canada’s seasons. As demand for the Milk Calendar continues to grow year-over-year, DFO is focused on maximizing efficiencies to reach consumers while also being mindful of the calendar’s carbon footprint. “We are placing a heavier emphasis for consumers to opt in to download the digital recipe collection from the 2022 Milk Calendar rather
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than request hard copies,” Romany says. For those who still want a printed copy, the Milk Calendar will be available across Metro and Longo’s locations throughout November. Ontario consumers can also request a printed copy on the Milk Calendar website at calendar.milk.org. The 2022 Milk Calendar is printed using sustainable materials and methods. In addition, for every tonne of paper used to print the 2022 Milk Calendar, one tree will be planted through GrandTrees. This initiative supported the planting of 110 trees in Ontario. For more information or to download the digital recipe collection, visit calendar.milk.org.
REAL ONTARIO DAIRY FARMERS FEATURED IN FALL CAMPAIGN
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airy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) has launched its fall equity campaign, which focuses on real Ontario dairy farmers and the pride they have in producing local, quality dairy for consumers to enjoy. Consumer research reveals Ontarians have a renewed sense of community and a heightened interest in local now more than ever. They want to know who they’re supporting when buying local. As such, through the campaign, DFO showcases Ontario dairy farming families to connect with consumers in a meaningful way. The fall equity campaign, which launched in late-October and will run for five weeks, reaches Ontarians through multiple marketing channels. The campaign launched with TV, online digital ads, social media and Spotify radio. Digital out-of-home billboards, broadcast integration, public relations and influencer content were later phased in. DFO’s new television commercial, The Reminder, features the Krul Family of Krul Holsteins in Arthur, Ont. The commercial highlights the joy and pride of a young girl working the family farm with her grandfather. With scenes that demonstrate dairy consumption, the commercial makes the connection that the work Ontario dairy farmers do on their local family farms is bigger than them—it benefits families across the province. To watch the TV commercial, visit https://youtu.be/m2PQDVy4o-A. WWW.MILKPRODUCER.CA
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DAIRY NEWS
FROM LEFT are Jonas, Kurt, Sam, Marie-Louise, Cavalia Lookout, Michael, Vreni, Adrian and Nils Haeni from Lone Pine Jerseys in Didsbury, Alta. Photo courtesy of Ella Wright
A PASSION FOR JERSEY COWS AND DAIRY FARMING By Tamara Botting
CONTRIBUTOR
A
drian Haeni grew up on his parents’ dairy farm in Switzerland. “I always wanted to be a dairy farmer, so that was never a question,” he says. In 1993, Haeni and his wife, along with her parents, immigrated to Canada. “My in-laws and my wife had a mixed farm—some beef, boarding horses, vegetables and fruits,” he says. “When we moved here, we didn’t know anything about the Jersey breed. We bought a herd that had Jerseys in it, and then we thought we’d keep going with (them). We just totally fell in love with the Jersey cow.” That passion for the breed has since translated to them building a successful farm operation, Lone Pine Jerseys in Didsbury, Alta. They were named the recipients of the 2021 Jersey Canada Master Breeder Award. “That really made us happy,” Haeni says, adding Jerseys have many benefits besides 8
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having a good temperament. “The efficiency of Jerseys, the feed conversion and their health traits—that definitely was a plus.” The breed’s high butterfat content is another added bonus. Haeni says they’re averaging 28.5 litres of milk with 5.9 per cent butterfat. They milk about 115 cows in their freestall operation, equipped with two voluntary milking systems, which were installed in 2018. Haeni says while he doesn’t think the robotic milking has really saved any time in the milking process, the system does allow for much greater flexibility. “You’re not tied down to the exact hours. Also, chores are a bit more relaxed than when we milked in the milking parlour.” Haeni says between their milking cows, dry cows and replacement heifers, they run about 340 to 350 heads on average. “We’re a bit unique. In the last three years, we’ve sold more than 80 cows per year to other dairies. We use a lot of sexed semen, so we’ve got enough replacement heifers,” he says. “We’ve got a really good market
with young milking cows to sell. We always thought it’s fairer for the buyer when they can see the cow’s conformation, and also know more about her production.”
“I always wanted to be a dairy farmer, so that was never a question.” —Adrian Haeni Haeni says they raise almost all their heifers on the farm. When they’re first born, “We have the calves in hutches for about seven days, where they get colostrum. After that, we move them into the automatic calf feeder. They get weaned off about three months or so.” Continued on page 10 W W W.MILKPRODUCER.CA
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DAIRY NEWS
A passion for Jersey cows and dairy farming, cont’d from page 8
HEIFER JOEL JUG O JUICE was bred at Lone Pine Jerseys in Didsbury, Alta., and was bought by Misty Meadow Dairy. In 2021, Lone Pine Jerseys was given the Jersey Canada Master Breeder Award.
Haeni says they use chopped canola straw in their barn as bedding. While it can be a bit dusty, it’s readily available, and also, “bacteria don’t grow as well on canola straw as it does on other straw. We really like it and the cows like it, too.” Haeni feels it’s not only important for farmers to take good care of their herd and land, but also to share how they’re doing that with the general public. “We just have to make sure we appeal to the consumer, (making sure they) know we do a good job, and we deliver the best and healthiest products. Hopefully, that will make sure we’ve got people who still want to eat and drink our products,” he says. “Agriculture is a passion for our family. We hope in the future, we’re going to be strong advocates for agriculture here and for generations to come.”
FROM FARM TO PLANT: OXFORD MILKWAY TRANSPORT CO-OPERATIVE DELIVERS It takes dedicated teamwork to operate Ontario’s largest milk transporter By Tamara Botting
CONTRIBUTOR
D
airy farmers could have the healthiest herd producing the best milk, but all their hard work would be lost if it wasn’t for the tireless dedication of the transporters driving the shipments of milk to the plant for processing so it can then go out to consumers. “There’s quite a bit to the transportation side,” says Jim Knudsen, chief executive officer and general manager of Oxford Milkway Transport Co-operative, group of companies that includes Stotesbury Transfer and James Dale Milk Transport. Knudsen says the biggest strength of the organization—which is the province’s largest milk transporter—is its team of employees, about 100 people strong in total. “The employees are very dedicated because a lot of them are from the country and they know the milk needs to be picked up every day,” he says. Continued on page 12
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OXFORD MILKWAY Transport Co-operative drivers are on the road throughout the year, picking up milk from producers and delivering it for processing. The co-operative has an on-site garage at its Woodstock, Ont., facility to look after maintenance and upkeep on the trucks. Photo courtesy of Tamara Botting
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DAIRY NEWS From the farm to plant: Oxford Milkway Transport Co-operative gets it there, cont’d from page 10 Dairy farmers know all too well the cows don’t care if it’s a national holiday or the weekend—they still need to be milked. Since the milk needs to be shipped quickly, transporters must work around the clock just like farmers do. “Our trucks run 365 days a year,” Knudsen says. It works out to about 50 drivers on the road each day, moving about 1.7 million litres of milk. Since they’re hauling a perishable product for human consumption, the drivers not only have to work efficiently, but they need to have an eye for quality every time. Knudsen says all drivers must complete the bulk tank milk graders’ course. “They are the first ones to actually grade the milk. That is an extra responsibility you don’t find in a lot of other truck driving jobs,” he says. “It’s an important responsibility to make sure they grade the milk well when they pick it up.” This extra training requirement makes it even harder to find drivers in an already relatively small pool of potential employees, Knudsen says. “It seems we’re always one or two drivers short,” he says. The trucking industry has been having a hard time lately getting fresh blood in as older drivers retire, as well as gaining enough years of experience so they will be able to qualify under tightening insurance restrictions. Still, Knudsen says, for those who do find their niche in milk transporting, the job has a lot of benefits—chief among them, “It’s very
JIM KNUDSEN is the chief executive officer and general manager of Oxford Milkway Transport Co-operative, the province’s largest milk transporter. In 2014, the co-operative celebrated its 50th anniversary. Photo courtesy of Tamara Botting
consistent. We’ve never had any layoffs.” It’s an industry Knudsen himself knows well, having been at the co-op for more than 40 years. He started driving trucks after seeing the milk transporters’ regular visits to his family’s farm. It was a way to combine his agricultural roots with his enjoyment of driving. “You get a little bit of both worlds—you pick up in the country and you deliver into the city,” he says. At 66 years old, Knudsen is hoping to retire in the next year or two, or at least step back a bit in his role to make room for his successor.
When that happens, Knudsen knows the co-op will be in good hands—not only with the team of employees already in place, but also with the board of directors, all of whom are active milk producers—a requirement for membership in the co-op. “We feel it makes for a stronger co-op if they’re all active producers,” he says. Tamara Botting is an author and award-winning journalist.
LACTALIS CANADA RECEIVES CANADIAN GROCER IMPACT AWARD
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actalis Canada, the Canadian dairy leader behind iconic brands, such as Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond, Balderson, Astro and Lactantia, has won the first-ever 2021 Canadian Grocer Impact Award in the sustainability category for its wastewater modernization project at its Winchester, Ont., plant. The multimillion, four-year project completed in 2020 has contributed to odour and noise mitigation, 35 per cent reduced electricity consumption and an enhanced wastewater treatment process at the plant. The project serves as a model for how Lactalis plans to improve wastewater quality in plants and communities, both in Canada and globally. “Our purpose at Lactalis Canada is 12
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to enrich and nurture the lives of Canadians, and integral to this is our responsibility to lay the framework for a sustainable and prosperous future in the communities we operate in,” says Mark Taylor, president and chief executive officer of Lactalis Canada. “Lactalis Canada is honoured to receive the inaugural Canadian Grocer Impact Award for sustainability, which demonstrates our leadership and commitment to building a sustainable future and underscores the importance we, as an industry, must place on responsible and sustainable business practices for our collective success.” This recognition further highlights Lactalis Canada’s corporate responsibility
commitment to being a responsible business that has a positive impact on the well-being of the communities and the planet through its various activities. The Canadian Grocer Impact Awards recognize initiatives introduced by retailers, suppliers and solution providers that are making a meaningful difference in a range of areas from helping the planet to supporting employees and communities. The award categories include sustainability, diversity, equity and inclusion, supporting employees and community service. To learn more about the Canadian Grocer Impact Awards, visit https://canadiangrocer.com/2021-impact-award-winners-sustainability. WWW.MILKPRODUCER.CA
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DAIRY NEWS
INNOVATIVE COLLABORATION WITH LEADING ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS By Dairy Farmers of Canada
CONTRIBUTOR
D
airy Farmers of Canada (DFC) has unveiled new partnerships with leading environmental organizations to promote and advance sustainability in the dairy sector and beyond. In collaboration with forward-thinking Canadian organizations, including Tree Canada, Cleanfarms and Ducks Unlimited Canada, DFC is further solidifying the sector’s long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship and responsible farming practices. “DFC and our farmers are committed to finding innovative new ways to foster sustainability in dairy farming,” says Pierre Lampron, DFC’s president. “We are excited to work with these exceptional organizations to improve farming productivity, reduce waste and manage resources responsibly to the benefit of all Canadians.” DFC highlights these unique partnerships and its efforts to reduce the environmental impact of dairy farming through a new marketing campaign called Here for Tomorrow, which launched in October and will run until the end of November. By sharing real stories of projects already underway on Canadian farms, the campaign helps shed light on the sector’s work toward a more sustainable tomorrow. Some of these stories include Mary Ann Doré’s family farm in Ontario where she’s working to conserve wetlands with DFC’s partners at Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC). “Ducks Unlimited Canada has made a commitment to support sustainable farming practices across the country,” says Larry Kaumeyer, DUC’s chief executive officer (CEO). “We are proud to partner with Canadian dairy farmers to enhance on-farm biodiversity while also providing environmental benefits to the local community.” This new partnership will positively impact the sustainability of working landscapes, he adds, while protecting Canada’s essential wetland and grassland habitats. On Holger Schwichtenberg’s dairy farm in British Columbia, his family has been furthering biodiversity by planting trees with support from Tree Canada. The organization is dedicated to improving the lives of Canadians by planting and nurturing trees, says Danielle St-Aubin,
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Tree Canada’s CEO. “We applaud Dairy Farmers of Canada for its commitment to reduce its environmental impact and promote and advance sustainability in the dairy sector,” she says. “We look forward to our partnership and growing better places to live together.” In Quebec, Christian Kaiser’s family farm is reducing plastic waste through innovative recycling programs with Cleanfarms. “Dairy farmers have been long-time supporters of Cleanfarms programs that reduce the amount of used agricultural plastic sent to landfills when it’s no longer needed,” says Barry Friesen, Cleanfarms’ executive director. “This partnership with Dairy Farmers of Canada will help producers fulfil their commitment to sustainability by recycling even higher volumes of used ag plastics.” Dairy farmers are setting a new standard for ag plastic recycling, and Cleanfarms is excited to be working with farmers, such as Kaiser, on this important project.
DFC’s commitment to sustainability is also featured in a separate campaign called Hey Dairy Farmer, which launched in parallel with the Here for Tomorrow platform. Producers can find both on DFC’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/c/DairyfarmersCa. Being here for tomorrow means farming more sustainably today. DFC is dedicated to working with producers to find innovative new ways to reduce the environmental impact of dairy farming. Everyone wins through ongoing efforts to improve productivity, reduce waste and manage resources responsibly. To learn more about DFC’s sustainability partnerships, visit dairyfarmers.ca. Stay informed with DFC’s Dairy Express Sign up for the Dairy Express e-newsletter. Email communications@dfc-plc.ca to have your name added to the mailing list.
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You do what it takes to manage their pain. To cattlemen words like obligation and honour are the backbone of a life spent providing for others. To you, things need to feel right. In your head and in your gut. After all, you’re not just raising cattle, you’re rearing the next generation of cattlemen. Boehringer Ingelheim is passionately devoted to the advancement of farm animal well-being.
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DAIRY NEWS
DFO’S START-UP PROGRAM HELPS WALKER FARMS LAUNCH ON-FARM PROCESSING By Tamara Botting
CONTRIBUTOR
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hile funding from Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s (DFO) Start-Up Program was a huge help, the truly invaluable component was the advice, knowledge and guidance offered through the program’s facilitators as his family’s farm entered a new venture, says Scott Walker, manager of Walker Farms Inc., just east of Alymer, Ont. “We had this idea to process bottle all our milk in one location. We were playing with the idea for five or six years,” Walker says. He says when the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was replaced by the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), there were a lot of questions about what the industry might look like down the road. This became the turning point for the farm. Continued on page 18
WALKER FARMS INC., just east of Alymer, Ont., recently opened an on-site processing plant to bottle its milk. This project was done with help from Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s Start-Up Program. Photo courtesy of Walker Farm Inc.
Only the best will do! “We believe in Udder Comfort™ and are using it over 10 years for our show cows and our fresh cows to bring the quality and texture to the udder,” says Ysabel Jacobs of Ferme Jacobs, Cap-Santé, Quebec. They apply Udder Comfort lotion daily at shows and to all fresh udders after each milking for 3 days after calving.
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DAIRY NEWS
FROM LEFT are Jon, Scott and John Walker from Walker Farms. The family recently opened an on-site processing plant to bottle their milk. Photo courtesy of Walker Farm Inc.
WALKER FARMS offers several varieties of fluid milk bottled on site. Operations manager Scott Walker says they hope to expand their product line to include drinkable yogurt. Photo courtesy of Walker Farm Inc.
DFO’s Start-Up Program helps Walker Farms launch on-farm processing, cont’d from page 16 “We’re going to have to start taking our destiny by our own hands,” Walker says. That was about 3.5 years ago. When they decided they wanted to build a processing plant on-site, DFO was one of the first entities they reached out to. “There’s a lot of grant programs for dairy processing, but almost all of them were for existing plants. There was nothing for new plants trying to establish themselves,” Walker says. Except, of course, for DFO’s Start-Up Program. Walker says while it was great to get some funding assistance, “The biggest thing was resources— people to talk to and people to bounce ideas off of.” Through the program, they were able to get help with tasks, such as finding the right lab equipment and connecting with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). While building the plant took a bit longer 18
NOVEMBER 2021 | MILKPRODUCER
than originally anticipated—the COVID-19 pandemic contributed in part to the delay—the Walkers are now producing several varieties of fluid milk, including one per cent, whole milk and chocolate milk. In August, they processed about 35,000 litres themselves. Meanwhile, the dairy farm produces about 50,000 litres of milk per day. Along with expanding their fluid milk operations, Walker says they are also looking to develop a drinkable yogurt. “Our plant is set up for that, so we don’t have to bring any more equipment in,” he says. While the farm’s time in the Start-Up Program is now drawing to a close, Walker is hopeful they’ll be able to be a part of DFO’s Scale-Up Program. “If they’ll offer it to us, we’ll take the help,” he says with a chuckle. Tamara Botting is an author and award-winning journalist.
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MARKETS
[ MONITORING BUTTER STOCKS HEADING INTO DECEMBER
D
ue to current market conditions, P5 boards have decided there will be no change to the current two incentive days for November 2021. During the summer, the industry faced an imbalance between milk supply and demand due to a combination of issues, including a slowdown in retail sales, slower than expected recovery in the food service sector, the arrival of imported dairy products and processing constraints. This resulted in the reduction of incentive days—a decision that has now put the industry in a better position to balance supply with demand. “This is a good example of how the supply management system has demonstrated it can adapt to a very unpredictable and volatile marketplace,” says Patrice Dubé, Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s chief economics and policy development officer. Heading into the holidays, P5 boards will continue to monitor market conditions and butter stock levels to determine if production signals are needed in the new calendar year. Demand for butterfat is typically high during the holidays as families host social gatherings and purchase more butter for baking and cooking. However, with the ongoing pandemic, Dubé says
it’s hard to determine whether the holidays will spark an increase in demand this year. “What the holidays will look like this year will be very provincial specific,” he says. “Some provinces are still struggling, while others are in a better position, so whether families celebrate a normal holiday this year is still very much up in the air.” Butter stock levels at the end of December are a key indicator of whether the system needs more milk in the new calendar year. “If butter stock levels drop to a level close to 20,000 tonnes at the end of December, it is one indication there could be a need for additional milk in the system to rebuild those stocks for the remainder of the dairy year,” Dubé says. As of the end of September 2021, butter stock levels reached 28,300 tonnes—a 3,800-tonne drop since August 2021 when stocks were at 32,100 tonnes. This is an indication there’s strong short-term demand, Dubé says. Meanwhile, the Canadian Dairy Commission is revisiting its long-term forecast for demand. Given current market trends, Dubé says it’s likely the industry will still see a two to three per cent increase in demand for the current
P10 UTILIZATION BY CLASS*
% Butterfat % Solids non-fat
For August 2021 (kg of butterfat/kg of solids non-fat) 11.91%
1a1 1b
2.72%
2a
2.64%
2b4
% Revenue
*27.65%
23.88% 14.90%
*8.71% *4.87%
6.04%
4.05%
*2.42%
0.79% 2.75% 0.22% 1.06% 1.10%
2b5 3a1 3a2
*1.47% *1.19%
4.47% 5.73%
3b2
*5.41% 13.78% 12.74%
3c1
*13.78%
0.77% 1.06% 2.55% 2.93%
3c2 3c4
*0.82% *3.03% 6.42%
3c6
*8.26%
9.53%
0.43% 0.38%
3d
*0.38% 3.30% 4.71%
4a
*3.37%
17.17% 17.55%
4d
0.50%
*13.28% *0.04%
5.66%
2.69% 2.85%
5a 5b
1.61% 1.80% 0.51%
5c 0% 20
*
5%
*1.74% 8.82%
*2.87% *0.70%
10%
NOVEMBER 2021 | MILKPRODUCER
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
dairy year. However, it is still unclear how this increase could translate into an additional production signal. In terms of national dairy product sales at the retail level, for the 52-weeks ending September 2021, sales for fluid milk, fluid cream, yogurt, ice cream, cheese and butter increased by 1.7, 5.3, 1.4, five, 3.6 and 6.5 per cent, respectively, compared with the 52-weeks in September 2019, prior to the pandemic. Recent retail sales data also indicate sales continue to gradually return to its pre-COVID trends as the food service sector continues to reopen. Total national butterfat requirements for the 12-months ending August 2021 reached 1.13 million kilograms compared with 1.08 million kg the year before. Meanwhile, total P10 milk production for the 12-months ending August 2021 reached 1.09 million kg compared with 1.05 million kg the year before. 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.
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 WWW.MILKPRODUCER.CA
OCTOBER PRICES
MONTHLY QUOTA PRICES ($/kg) PROVINCE
PRICE/kg
AMOUNT WANTED/kg
AMOUNT FOR SALE/kg
AMOUNT PURCHASED/kg
Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba
$48,805 $42,500 $37,250
349.80 148.50 355.87
59.00 25.00 34.79
59.00 25.00 24.00
British Columbia
$36,500
2,098.42
50.00
50.00
Ontario
$24,000
19,125.78
266.43
266.46
Quebec
$24,000 $24,000 $24,000 $24,000
19,940.35
514.23
514.37
681.10 1,159.48 435.80
53.10 2.50 4.10
53.10 2.5 4.10
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
ONTARIO DEDUCTIONS, PER HL Within quota
Overquota
$85
DFO administration DFO research CanWest DHI Transportation Market expansion
$0.625 $0.050 $0.060 $2.900 $1.400
$0.625 $0.050 $0.060 $2.900 $1.400
$80
Total deductions Average total net
$5.035 $72.696
$5.035 -5.035
$75 $77.73
*These figures are based on Ontario’s average composition for September 2021 of 4.10 kg butterfat, 3.17 kg protein and 5.92 kg other solids, rounded to the nearest cent.
Sept. 2021
Aug 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
Apr. 2021
Mar. 2021
Feb. 2021
Jan. 2021
Dec. 2020
Oct. 2020
$70 Nov. 2020
For September 2021
A total 3,326 producers sold milk to DFO in September compared with 3,358 a year earlier.
P5 AND WESTERN MILK POOL BLEND PRICES*
WWW.MILKPRODUCER.CA
*There is a three-month lag reporting these figures.
82 P5 blend price WMP blend price
80 78 76
WMP $79.41
Aug 2021
July 2021
June 2021
Apr 2021
May 2021
Mar 2021
Jan 2021
Feb 2021
Dec 2020
Nov 2020
72
Oct 2020
74 Sept 2020
The September 2021 Class III Price, US$16.53 per hundredweight, is equivalent to C$47.49 per hectolitre. This equivalent is based on the exchange rate US$1 = C$1.26529 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.
The graph below shows the 12-month blend price for the P5 provinces and Western Milk Pool (WMP).
Blend price in $/hL
U.S. CLASS PRICES
P5 $77.85
MILKPRODUCER | NOVEMBER 2021
21
COVER STORY
FULFILLING DAIRY FAR
Young farmers work their w ladder in New Zealand
By Chris McCullough
CONTRIBUTOR
S SCOTT AND ANN HENDERSON, both 29, are currently in a 25 per cent sharemilking contract. They’ve come a long way since starting in the industry and are aiming for a 50 per cent contract by 2023. 22
NOVEMBER 2021 | MILKPRODUCER
haremilking might not be such a common concept in Canada, but in other parts of the world, the system provides a feasible entry into dairying for young people wishing to enter the industry. The traditional model of the next generation inheriting dairy farms and perhaps having to shell out a lot of cash to parents to own the farm is under pressure since it’s just not financially possible for many. That hurdle, coupled with the issue of succession problems and an international lack of labour on dairy farms, fronts up many challenges for dairy farmers wanting to retire. However, in other parts of the world, such as New Zealand, sharemilking is proving to be a big success, attracting young and older farmers into the industry and onto a ladder to one day owning their own farm. By definition, sharemilkers either milk a dairy farmer’s cows or own a herd of cows and milk them on an owner’s land for a profit share. The most common arrangement is herd-owning sharemilking, or 50-50 sharemilking, where sharemilkers own their own herd and equipment and are responsible for employing workers and managing the day-to-day operations of the farm. In return, herdowning sharemilkers receive a percentage of the milk income, normally 50 per cent. Over time, sharemilkers often buy out the landowner, or WWW.MILKPRODUCER.CA
G THE DREAM OF RMING
way up the sharemilking
alternatively, use the system as a method to save for their own property. This practice helps dairy farmers who do not own their own land and allows them to focus their investment on livestock and equipment. Sharemilking also profits former dairy farmers who have given up their herds, by providing them with an income from renting fields, pastures and barns. And that’s exactly the road taken by a young couple in New Zealand who have quickly climbed the sharemilking ladder and have plans to one day own their own farm. Scott and Ann Henderson, both 29, are currently in a 25 per cent sharemilking contract. They’ve come a long way since starting in the industry and are aiming for a 50 per cent contract by 2023. In a further boost to their confidence, the duo recently won a major sharemilking award in New Zealand. Ann is originally from a beef and sheep farm at Fauldhouse, Scotland, and moved to New Zealand some years ago to gain additional experience milking cows after some milking stints in the United Kingdom. There, she met carpenter and husband-to-be, Scott from South Otago, who had little farming experience but has quickly learned over the years. Since 2017, the duo is following a business plan to become 5050 sharemilkers on the farm they currently work on and own all the cows in the herd by the 2022-23 milking season. Owned by the Whitestone Trust, the farm Ann and Scott work on is based in South Otago and extends to 560 hectares—about 340 hectares is used for the dairy herd. “It has been a dairy farm for the past 23 years, and we are WWW.MILKPRODUCER.CA
currently on a three-year 25 per cent sharemilking contract,” Ann says. “We already own some cows in the herd, but it is our ambition to own the full herd by June 1, 2022, and enter into a 50-50 sharemilking contract.” Ann and Scott have their own company called Way2Milk Dairies. On this farm, they are semi self-contained, so they have 850 milking cows, 210 calves, 210 yearlings and 60 empty carryover cows and aim to run 2.5 cows per hectare. The farm is rolling to steep contour with main soil types Waitahuna, Warepa and Tauratu, which are all clay based. The annual rainfall is about 820 millimetre per year. “Our milk goes to Danone to produce baby formula,” Ann says. “Danone fixes half its payout for two years and the other half floats on Fonterra. We milk cows from July 20 to May 31. After that, they are dried off. Half the cows, including the yearlings and calves, winter on the farm and the other half go to grazing.” Their yearly production target is 320,000 kilograms, but this year, they’re on track to do a record production of 345,000 kg, Ann says. Their cows feed on grass during the milking period, along with 235 kg of barley each per year to help with energy intake “We make as much silage as the weather allows us to each year, which can vary depending on the climate,” she says. “This year, we made 250 tonnes of dry matter (DM), but last year, we only made 80 tonnes, so we had to buy some in.” Cows are fed 19 kg DM during the milking season. This includes one kg barley, six kg silage and 12 kg grass. Continued on page 24 MILKPRODUCER | NOVEMBER 2021
23
COVER STORY
Fulfilling the dream of dairy farming, cont’d from page 23 They measure grass weekly with a plate metre to record growth rate and pasture cover, which allows them to make decisions early. The couple plant 30 ha of fodder beet to winter the cattle on and make 1,000 bales of baleage either on-farm or brought in. A further 20 ha of summer turnips are fed at four kg per cow from early January to March. “The milking parlour is a 60-unit rotary with automatic cluster removers, auto drafting and teat spraying,” Ann says. “We milk twice daily from August until Christmas then we go to 10:7 milking, which means milking at 4:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and 6 a.m. on Sunday. We now own 735 of the cows and will buy another 370 in May 2022, aiming to be in a 50-50 partnership by June 2022.” The cows are kept outdoors year-round, and there is a calving pad that holds 250 cows. Artificial insemination (AI) is used across the herd first and then Hereford bulls sweep up. The Hendersons rear 23 per cent replacements each year, and a Jersey bull is used on the yearling heifers. “We employ three full-time staff who all have their own house on the farm and are treated as our family,” Ann says. “We have weekly meetings to cover everything that’s happening on-farm and what’s coming up.” Diseases and lameness are the biggest problem on the farm for Ann and Scott, with Mycobacterium bovis posing the biggest threat. “Our farm got taken out in 2019, which was devastating but it opened up the opportunity for us to share milk,” Ann says. “Farming is hard and when huge events like that happen, its soul-destroying but talking is key. Mental health and well-being are key, and we do everything we can to look after ourselves, our 24
NOVEMBER 2021 | MILKPRODUCER
Our farm got taken out in 2019, which was devastating but it opened up the opportunity for us to share milk,” Ann says. “Farming is hard and when huge events like that happen, its soul-destroying but talking is key.
—Ann Henderson
team and community around us. In the couple’s current 25 per cent contract, they pay for the labour, electricity, shed chemicals, rubberwear, gear and maintenance, as well as 25 per cent of the in-shed feeding. The farm owner pays the rest. In return, the couple receives 25 per cent of the milk cheque. In a 50-50 arrangement, all costs and income are split equally. “The next goal for us is 50-50 sharemilking and then buying a farm with 600 cows within 10 years,” she adds. As a further boost to their goals, Ann and Scott have just won the Southland-Otago Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year for 2021. “Winning the competition has been invaluable to us as the contacts we have made and the publicity we have had from it has been huge,” Ann says.
Chris McCullough is an award-winning contributor to many publications in Canada and beyond, specializing in business and technology issues in the sectors of agriculture, food, manufacturing and more.
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FARM MANAGEMENT
CONDITIONS TO LOOK FOR BEFORE TRANSPORTING CALVES By Lilian Schaer
CONTRIBUTOR
I
ncreased public scrutiny of farms and farming practices mean it’s never been more important to pay careful attention to the welfare of your cattle. Not only is it the right thing to do for the health and comfort of your animals, it also makes good economic sense. After all, a healthy animal is a productive animal. Every calf that leaves your farm, whether as a male dairy calf or as a replacement heifer, is a calling card for both your individual operation and the broader livestock industry. It only takes one sick or unfit animal to reflect badly on all farmers—one bad incident will be remembered much longer than all the positive, good news stories the industry can tell. Transport is a particularly visible and impactful activity for calves. Possible co-mingling with a new group of animals, exposure to new pathogens, loading and unloading and actually being in transit are stressful. It’s important calves are in good health before they set foot on the truck.
NEW TRANSPORT REGULATIONS It’s been more than a year since new livestock transport regulations—updated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for the first time in four decades—came into effect. According to the regulation, calves may be transported for up to 12 hours at a time as long as they aren’t subject to dehydration, starvation or exhaustion. After 12 hours in transit, they must be given feed, water and rest. And calves eight days old or younger may only be transported once and can not be shipped to assembly yards. The CFIA also spells out the regulations for the humane transport of livestock that must be followed. Animals that are considered compromised or unfit can only be transported under special circumstances.
COMPROMISED CALVES A calf is compromised if it displays one or more of the following conditions: • Bloated but no signs of discomfort or weakness; • Acute frostbite; • Still healing from a procedure, such as castration or dehorning; • Shows signs of lameness other than what is described as unfit; • Has a deformity or a fully healed amputation, but doesn’t show signs of pain from that condition; • Displays any other signs of infirmity, illness, injury or a condition that might make the calf less able to withstand the rigours of transport. Continued on page 28 W W W.MILKPRODUCER.CA
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FARM MANAGEMENT Conditions to look for before transporting calves, cont’d from page 26
UNFIT CALVES A calf is unfit if it displays one or more of these conditions: • Non-ambulatory (can’t walk); • Fractured leg that prevents it from walking or causes it to show pain; • Lame in one or more limb, showing pain, halted movements, reluctance to walk or can’t walk on all four of its legs; • In shock or dying; • Laboured breathing; • Severe open wound or laceration; • Hobbled for treatment of an injury; • Extremely thin, shows signs of dehydration, exhaustion, hypothermia or hyperthermia, or has a fever; • Has a hernia that hinders its movement, causes pain, touches the ground when the calf is standing, or has an open wound, ulceration or infection; • Unhealed and-or infected navel;
THE CANADIAN Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) spells out the regulations for the humane transport of livestock that must be followed. Photo courtesy of Veal Farmers of Ontario
• Severe bloat that is causing pain or weakness; • Any other signs of infirmity, injury, illness or condition that cause the calf to suffer during transport.
COMPROMISED OR UNFIT CALVES Compromised calves can only be transported in isolation from other animals. They must be loaded and unloaded individually without having to go up or down a ramp, and they can’t be taken to an assembly yard. Unfit calves can only be transported at the recommendation of a veterinarian and only to a location where they will receive veterinary treatment. For more information, visit www.calfcare.ca. This project was funded by the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year federal-provincial-territorial initiative. Lilian Schaer is a freelance agricultural journalist, writer and communications professional based in Guelph, Ont. She was born in Switzerland and raised on a dairy farm in Grey County. Follow her on Twitter @foodandfarming.
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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GOING IT ALONE REQUIRES PLANNING By Workplace Safety & Prevention Services
CONTRIBUTOR
W
orking alone is very common in farming, and many tasks require farmers to work unsupervised, often for hours at a time. “One quick and easy way to stay safe is to follow the Stop Think Act approach,” says Sandy Miller, account manager for agriculture at Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS). For more than 15 years, Miller has worked with partners and volunteers to champion agriculture safety in Ontario and beyond. “It’s especially important to be mindful of potential hazards and risks when working alone,” Miller says. “It only takes a moment to pause and consider how to do the task safely. That moment is nothing compared to the agony of waiting for help to arrive if nobody knows you need help or where to find you.” Changing your approach and how you prepare to work alone using Stop Think Act can help you stay safe on your own. Before you be-
“It only takes a moment to pause and consider how to do the task safely. That moment is nothing compared to the agony of waiting for help to arrive if nobody knows you need help or where to find you.” —Sandy Miller gin, stop and consider what could go wrong. Ask yourself, “What kind of hazards could I face?” Think about the situation and whether you’re physically and mentally ready to tackle the task. As well, ask yourself whether you have the right tools and equipment to reasonably do this task on your own. Lastly, take the right actions before completing the task. Wear the right safety gear. Have a first aid kit with you and know how to use it. Keep your cell phone nearby and fully charged.
Make sure others know where you are and when to expect you back. Check in with your team throughout the day, and keep emergency numbers and location addresses handy in case you need help. “Print and post the Stop Think Act Checklist for Working Alone somewhere for everyone to see,” Miller says. “It has tips and suggestions to help recognize hazards and reduce risks. We suggest you hang it where it will remind everyone to take a moment each day to Stop Think Act before heading out to work alone.” The poster is free and available to download at https://wsps.news/2Z1JCHD. It even has a QR code that will take you directly to the WSPS Farm Safety page to learn more about Stop Think Act and other farm safety resources. This article was prepared by Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS). For more information, visit www.wsps.ca or contact WSPS at customercare@wsps.ca.
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29
FARM MANAGEMENT
NOT ALL SOILS SHOULD BE MANAGED THE SAME WAY By Lillian Schaer
CONTRIBUTOR
U
sing best management practices (BMPs) to manage phosphorus losses on-farm may not be enough, suggests leading phosphorus and water quality expert Dr. Merrin Macrae. Instead, using targeted phosphorus management zones tailored to geographic areas and soil conditions could yield better results. This is particularly the case for Lake Erie,
where agriculture is a source of phosphorus that contributes to water quality issues. “We’ve been applying BMPs in the watershed, but things aren’t getting better fast enough so we need to be strategic and use the practices that have the best effect depending on where we live,” she says during a presentation at the North American Manure Expo this summer. “There are different things farmers can do to reduce phosphorus losses from their farms, with some more effective than others.” It’s generally recognized there is no one prac-
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tice—the so-called silver bullet—that will solve all phosphorus issues for every grower, so prevailing agronomic advice has long promoted the idea of stacking BMPs or doing as many as possible for maximum benefit. Macrae says that may not always be the most economical approach, especially if the anticipated outcome isn’t clear. “What we’re really trying to do is optimize BMP selection by being strategic,” she says. “You may only be able to do one BMP, so you want to make sure what you choose is the best for your situation and that it will have a really good effect.” That means accounting for climate variability, differences in the landscape, tile drainage levels and how land is used. Those differences can extend right into a specific watershed, such as Lake Erie, where the northeast gets more snow and has longer snow cover than the southwestern areas, and soils vary from flat clay to sloping loam. This impacts how water and phosphorus move across fields and through the soil, with both surface and sub-surface runoff contributing to losses. When monitoring three sites in the watershed over eight years (Londesborough, Ont., Ilderton, Ont., and Essex, Ont.), Macrae and her team noted differences in how water runs off and what its phosphorus concentrations are, depending on the site’s location, its climate and soil types.
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This can decrease phosphorus loss in both surface and subsurface runoff. Keep levels to what’s agronomically appropriate, but avoid overapplying, and figure out ways to spread manure out over more fields. According to Macrae, getting soil phosphorus down to what is needed W W W.MILKPRODUCER.CA
agronomically is a first line of defence that will work on all farms.
Apply at the right time Most runoff and associated phosphorus losses happen in the spring or during wet periods in the fall. Earlier is better if applying in the fall, she recommends, and in the spring, the best time is at planting. “Don’t apply on frozen ground. When snow melt happens, that manure is washed straight off the fields and into the water, so that’s probably the worst thing you can do,” she advises. “The Goldilocks time from a water quality perspective is during drier periods, and the best thing you can do is to avoid wet periods so phosphorus can stabilize in the soil.”
Placement matters Research by one of Macrae’s graduate students has shown subsurface banding fertilizer reduced winter nutrient losses in drainage by 60 per cent for both phosphorus and nitrogen. When applying manure, gentle incorporation is also a good idea to keep nutrients from running off.
It’s generally recognized there is no one practice—the so-called silver bullet—that will solve all phosphorus issues for every grower, so prevailing agronomic advice has long promoted the idea of stacking BMPs or doing as many as possible for maximum benefit. modest frosts, especially in snow-covered regions, the plants can handle it without releasing a lot of phosphorus,” she says. “In snowfree areas, such as the southwestern region of this watershed, you run the risk, but you can manage your cover crop choices to lessen that risk. We found tender species, such as oilseed radish and oats, lost a lot more phosphorus than cereal rye, vetch or red clover.”
Cover crop choice Although cover crops can build soil health and reduce phosphorus loss in runoff, in the Prairies, they’ve also been shown to increase spring phosphorus losses after freezing in the winter. That’s not the case in Ontario, where temperatures aren’t as cold and snow cover insulates crop residues and cover crops. “We looked at the potential for phosphorus loss after freeze-thaw cycles and when you have
Lilian Schaer
Manage point sources In areas with livestock, keep cattle out of streams, have adequate manure storage and don’t apply manure on frozen ground or during wet periods. As well, check on bunker silos and make sure runoff is managed properly. “Some practices will work well everywhere, such as keeping soil phosphorus low and using the right placement and timing for fertilizer,” she says. “But tillage and cover crop effects will
is a freelance agricultural journalist, writer and communications professional based in Guelph, Ont. She was born in Switzerland and raised on a dairy farm in Grey County. Follow her on Twitter @foodandfarming.
This article is provided by Farm & Food Care Ontario as part of the Timing Matters project. The project is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
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Manage no-till Knowing how water leaves a field is important for realizing both the benefits of no-till and keeping phosphorus in place. “You want to manage phosphorus in surface or subsurface runoff—and we know surface runoff is more important in northeastern regions of the watershed, and subsurface in the southwest,” she says. “In the southwest, for example, if you’re a no-tiller, apply the nutrients in a subsurface band with seed at the time of planting, and if you must surface broadcast, a low disturbance gentle incorporation is a good idea. Otherwise, you’ll be vulnerable to loss in the tiles.”
depend on where you live and have to be treated with more care so we’re optimizing what we do to minimize phosphorus losses.” More information about manure stewardship and long-term nutrient management options are available at https://www.farmfoodcareon.org/timing-matters/.
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DAIRY RESEARCH DAIRY RESEARCH
HOW COW LONGEVITY AND WELFARE IMPROVE HERD MANAGEMENT OVER THE LONG RUN By Gabriel M. Dallago, Elsa Vasseur, Valérie Bélanger and Shelley Crabtree CONTRIBUTORS
A
nimal welfare is an important part of herd management, but what does the industry know about the relationships between welfare, herd performance and economics? Using Quebec data, researchers identified five herd profiles with various levels of welfare—from poor to good. The profile with the best overall welfare status also had the highest longevity, profitability and productivity. Dairy cow longevity is a key aspect of achieving a sustainable dairy industry. As a result, longevity is one of the major components of the Industrial Research Chair in Sustainable Life of Dairy Cattle and research conducted by Gabriel M. Dallago, PhD candidate at McGill University. The longer the cows remain productive in a herd, the more profitable the herd will be since cows only become profitable after the third lactation. This is when revenue from milk sales breaks even with all the costs associated with the rearing period (Pellerin et al., 2014). Mature cows in their third lactation or greater also
produce more milk, resulting in more revenue compared with younger animals (Dallago et al., 2021). In addition, when cows are culled earlier than expected, it is often because of health and welfare issues. Therefore, improving cow longevity means improving cow welfare and vice versa. Established by Novalait and its partners at McGill University in Quebec, the Industrial Research Chair in Sustainable Life of Dairy Cattle is headed by researcher Elsa Vasseur. The research team focuses on cow longevity in relation to cow profitability and welfare. Chair partners include Dairy Farmers of Canada, Lactanet and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
CURRENT LONGEVITY STATUS
which measures the length of time between first calving and culling or death, was estimated using yearly official statistical publications from high milk-producing countries (Figure 1). New Zealand was the only country where longevity increased. Meanwhile, no change was observed in the United States, Germany and the Netherlands, and longevity decreased in the remaining six countries, including Canada. Once scientific evidence confirmed dairy cow longevity has decreased, the focus of the analysis shifted toward early life conditions potentially associated with longevity. Identifying those early life conditions could help improve the current situation by providing guidance on how to increase longevity.
Increasing dairy cow longevity has been identified as a problem in the industry. However, longevity status is not always consistently reported by dairy herd improvement agencies or national databases. As a result, researchers focused on developing a standard methodology to estimate longevity in different countries to allow them to analyze the status and trends over time and make a fair comparison between countries. The longevity metric length of productive life,
Figure 1: Linear trend of longevity, measured by the length of productive life (year), in 10 high milk-producing countries as estimated using statistical models
GABRIEL M. DALLAGO is a PhD student in 32
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EARLY LIFE INDICATORS OF LONGEVITY Early life has been neglected when studying dairy cow longevity. The rearing period represents 40 per cent of a cow’s life, assuming the rearing period is two years and the productive life is three years, which are both the current average in Canada. Most research on cow longevity overlooks the rearing period and instead, focuses only on cows that have already calved for the first time. As a result, the research team evaluated the effect of birth ease, birth size and twinning on female Holstein cows’ longevity in Quebec dairy herds. Researchers found small size at birth, complications during birth and occurrence of twinning greatly increased the chances of an animal being culled earlier once she reached the productive life stage. This was one of the first scientific studies that showed the long-term effect of such early life conditions on female offspring, providing new insights for early selection of replacement candidates.
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DAIRY RESEARCH
Figure 2: Five unique herd welfare profiles (clusters) of Quebec dairy herds based on welfare outcome measures collected on 2,696 farms between 2016 and 2019 *Welfare description and associations with performance and profitability of each profile is shown in the boxes. *The number of farms in each profile are shown between parentheses. *HSI = Herd status index, a composite index, which combines DHI indicators covering aspects, such as longevity, nutrition, profitability and reproduction, to conduct a remote assessment of herd welfare status.
How does cow longevity, profitability, welfare complement one another? cont’d from page 33 Higher cow longevity indicates the animal’s biological functions and health are not impairing the length of her life. From a welfare perspective, this means longevity could be seen as a global indicator of animal welfare. However, there is lack of scientific knowledge about the relationship between welfare, longevity, profitability and productivity.
HERD WELFARE, LONGEVITY, PROFITABILITY AND PRODUCTIVITY Along with other aspects of sustainable farming, animal welfare is part of certification programs. Even though the implementation of animal welfare solutions is linked with their economic returns, the relationship between animal welfare, herd performance and economics is unclear, and the information researchers have collected so far was obtained from a small number of farms. To overcome the limitations of existing information, a third study was conducted to profile the welfare status of Quebec dairy herds based on welfare outcome measures collected on 2,696 farms between 2016 and 2019 through proAction. Researchers evaluated the relationship between the welfare profiles with longevity, profitability and productivity. Five unique herd welfare profiles were found, and the profile with the best overall welfare status also had the highest longevity, profitability and productivity (Figure 2). This research confirmed issues associated with longevity and provided new insights for early selection of replacement candidates. The research also confirmed the value in adopting best management practices to improve welfare and longevity, as well as discover early life indicators to help dairy farmers identify cows that will have a long and productive life.
Gabriel M. Dallago is a PhD candidate at McGill University.
Elsa Vasseur is a professor at McGill University.
Valérie Bélanger is the transfer officer at Novalait.
Shelley Crabtree is the communications and KTT specialist at the Dairy Research Cluster.
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CORN SILAGE: A NEW LOOK AT MAINTAINING STABILITY, QUALITY By Angela Wilson and Tom Wright CONTRIBUTORS
P
rotecting the investment made in corn silage inventory stored in horizontal bunk silos depends on many factors. One of the main goals of storing corn silage is to safeguard it from air exposure, which can happen at different stages during storage or feed-out. Oxygen in the air can lead to spoilage, which means losing dry matter, energy and nutrients. As well, feeding spoiled silage can reduce feed intake and milk production. The risk of air exposure in bunk silos can be reduced by proper packing density, monitoring and repairing holes where air can enter, and using technologies, such as oxygen barrier film, plastic covering and silage inoculants. Researchers at the University of Delaware conducted two experiments with brown midrib (BMR) corn silage to look at a primarily Lactobacillus buchneri inoculant under conditions that simulated different situations found on-farm. Researchers who use mini silos for their lab studies have not always created conditions (air stress or low packing density) that mimic what can be found on farm silos, so the goal of this research was to examine quality, stability and deterioration of corn silage under various conditions using a well-understood inoculant.
different silage piles and then assigned to an air stress challenge for both control and inoculated silage: either no air stress, early air
stress or late air stress. Early air stress was added during weeks one Continued on page 36
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FIRST EXPERIMENT In the first experiment, researchers put BMR corn silage into mini silos with a control (just water) or with the inoculant treatment (L. buchneri and Pediococus pentosaceus at the recommended rate for fresh silage). The BMR corn silage was 34 per cent dry matter, chopped to a 19-millimetre theoretical length of cut and kernel processed at harvest. Five replicates were prepared from five WWW.MILKPRODUCER.CA
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DAIRY RESEARCH
Corn silage: A new look at maintaining stability, quality, cont’d from page 35 to nine and late air stress was added during weeks 10 to 18. Air stress was introduced by opening three holes in the appropriate mini silos for three hours per week. The holes were otherwise plugged and sealed with glue. Mini silos were stored at 22 degrees Celsius, packed to normal density and stored for 126 days before comprehensive analysis.
SECOND EXPERIMENT During the following year, researchers conducted a second experiment to include the effects of packing density. Low density packing
was 180 kilograms per cubic metre, and normal was 240 kg/m3. Similar to the first experiment, researchers used kernel-processed BMR corn silage at 37 per cent dry matter with a 19-mm theoretical length of cut, again using control and inoculated treatments. For both control and inoculated silages at both density levels, there was either no air stress or air stress was applied for 24 hours on days 28, 42 and 89 of storage. Researchers opened the mini silos on day 91 of storage and analyzed the contents. Researchers noted no controlled lab silo study can recreate the exact conditions found on a farm. Their goal was to create conditions to see what might happen when they caused different stresses.
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For example, early air stress on-farm could result from a hole in the plastic that is repaired weeks before the silo is opened, while late air stress might occur prior to opening. Packing density can depend on packing tractor time and weight, or it may be lower on top than deeper in the bunk. It may also differ depending on dry matter content, for example, when dry silage may be hard to pack.
ANALYSIS In agreement with other reports, there were only a few significant differences in the feed analysis for the silages from the first and second experiments. The differences observed in the various combinations of control versus inoculant, air stress and packing density as they related to aerobic stability of the silage were interesting. Aerobic stability was determined by measuring the time (in hours) it took for two-kg silage samples to increase in temperature by 2 C from a baseline of 22 C when they were exposed to air. Corn silage heating from air exposure can be a challenge in the summer on some farms. Inoculation treatment had a significant advan-
Continued on page 38
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DAIRY RESEARCH without air stress (119 hours) was also much less stable than inoculated silage without air stress (263 hours). And density also played an important role in aerobic stability. For example, inoculated silage was more stable (62 to 199 hours) at normal density compared with inoculated silage at low packing density (86 to 161 hours). Aerobic stability on-farm is important and should be considered not just from the standpoint of time from mixing to feed intake (or sitting in the feed bunk). Deterioration begins from
Corn silage: A new look at maintaining stability, quality, cont’d from page 36 tage over the control silage for aerobic stability. Overall, inoculated samples took 279 hours versus 76 hours to increase by 2 C. In the second experiment, packing density and air stress interacted with each other when it came to aerobic stability. Stability was lowest for the control silage given air stress (just 28 hours) but inoculated with air stress was better (97 hours). Control silage
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the time of silage face exposure and resulting air exposure and infiltration, or from air accessing silage from holes or other punctures in the cover. One of the key findings from this paper was it underscored the importance of monitoring silage covers during storage and fixing any problems quickly. Silage appears to have the ability to recover somewhat from early storage air stress. As well, avoiding air stress closer to silo opening may prevent more significant quality deterioration. In other words, it is never too late to patch a hole. Reference Kung et al. (2021). The effects of air stress during storage and low packing density on the fermentation and aerobic stability of corn silage inoculated with Lactobacillus buchneri 40788. J. Dairy Sci. 104: 4206-4222.
RESEARCH SUMMARY • Silage aerobic stability was improved with inoculation, even with air stress;
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Angela Wilson is a PhD candidate from the department of animal biosciences at the University of Guelph.
Tom Wright is a dairy cattle 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.
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Are you ready for winter? Dairy Farmers of Ontario is reminding producers to clear their laneways of ice and snow. Why is this important? • creates a safe environment for milk transporters; • ensures timely milk pickup; • reduces DFO’s winter transportation costs; • mandated through DFO’s Farm Yards and Lanes Policy.
Yards and laneways that bulk tank milk graders travel on must be cleared of snow and clearly marked with poles and reflecting markers. Ice buildup should be salted and-or sanded. 42 laneway2020.indd NOVEMBER 12021 | MILKPRODUCER
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