Next generation | A son’s investment in the family farm has improved family and herd health
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE, Alta. — What started as a joke ended as a farm succession plan. Cody Nicolay didn’t know how he could join the family dairy, beef and grain farm until he saw a YouTube video of a robotic milker. “I kept putting the idea into Dad’s head,” said Nicolay, who believed buying a […] Read moreTag Archives Dairy — page 5
Jerseys show staying power
Summer Synergy | Jersey breed performing well at shows alongside Holsteins
OLDS, Alta. — Jerseys ruled for the second year in a row at the Alberta 4-H dairy show in Olds. Lee Morey of Rochester, Alta., won supreme dairy animal with his entry of a two-year-old bred heifer that has never lost in the show ring. His sister, Casey, won the same award last year. “I […] Read more
Quebec dairy co-op to supply Sobeys, IGA, Safeway
Quebec-based dairy Agropur Co-operative has new agreements with Sobeys, to buy several dairy processing operations and to supply dairy products on a long-term basis. The companies said the value of the transaction totals $356 million. It includes: The purchase of four plants: two plants in Edmonton, one producing milk and the other ice cream; a […] Read more
Dairy officials pen breeding strategy
The direction of Holstein breeding, and by extension a large part of the Canadian dairy industry, has been mapped out through the year 2020. A Canadian Breed Strategy, consisting of five over-arching goals for Holstein production, was unveiled in late April after three years of dairy industry consultation across the country. “It’s a bit of […] Read more
High dairy cow death losses cause for concern
Culling cattle | Dairy experts say an emphasis on genetics has resulted in poor management and high death rates
RED DEER — Too many dairy cows are dying on farms, veterinarians said at the Western Dairy Seminar held in Red Deer earlier this spring. Disease has not been controlled as well as it should be because more emphasis has been placed on milk production. Genetic tests are emerging to breed a stronger cow, but […] Read more
Research focuses on Johne’s vaccine
Disease prevalent in Alberta | Researchers hope to develop oral vaccine for young calves
University of Calgary researchers are working on a new type of oral Johne’s disease vaccine for calves that may provide immunity. Oral doses are an improvement over an injection of killed vaccine because they can travel to the spot where the offending bacteria are found in the intestine. “We believe we need a vaccine that […] Read more
Commission gives dairy prices annual increase
It’s an annual rite of winter for critics of Canada’s dairy supply management system. Government support prices for butter and skim milk powder increase and send a signal to the rest of the dairy chain to increase prices. On Feb. 14, the Canadian Dairy Commission announced that support prices will increase slightly effective April 1, […] Read more
Canadian restaurant groupseeks two-tier pricing policy
MPs heard a familiar message several weeks ago when Canada’s restaurant industry staged a Parliament Hill lobby day — high dairy prices hurt their business. Canadian Dairy Commission leaders heard the same message in a face-to-face meeting. Last week, the CanadianRestaurant and Foodservices Association followed up with a concrete proposal. It sent a letter to […] Read more
Alta. dairy farmers vow pizza kit war
Supply management | The imported kits use cheese amounts that circumvent tariffs
Alberta dairy producers like pizza because of its generous use of cheese. But they aren’t fans of pizza made from “pizza kits” that contain imported cheese and are used by Canadian companies to make pies for retail sale. In September, Dairy Farmers of Canada launched a challenge through the Canadian International Trade Tribunal seeking a […] Read moreB.C. dairy program focuses on improving milk quality
Certificate provides benefits | Producers must be validated by Jan. 31 to be eligible for bonuses and incentives
Carla Soutar has visited three-quarters of British Columbia’s 526 dairy farms, logging thousands of kilometres on her vehicle in the process. She plans to stop in on the other 150 farms by Sept.1. As producer services co-ordinator for the B.C. Dairy Association, Soutar’s job is training dairy producers how to use the Canadian Quality Milk […] Read more
