Recent confirmed cases of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in a Saskatchewan cattle herd have led the province to expand its annual wildlife monitoring program for chronic wasting disease (CWD) to also include TB. The province each year since 1997 has asked hunters to submit heads from harvested deer, moose and elk to test for CWD. It […] Read more
Saskatchewan expands wildlife testing to include bovine TB
CFIA probe of cattle herd finds 10 infected so far
Analyzing milk to prevent ruminal acidosis
Research shows disease can be detected by testing milk
Reading Time: 2 minutes Tasnime Touil, a doctoral student at Laval University in Quebec, is developing an artificial intelligence tool using infrared spectroscopy to predict ruminal pH and subclinical acidosis in dairy cows. “Ruminal pH can be an indicator of the cow’s rumen health and performance,” she said. “When it drops below 5.8 for 300 minutes or more, it […] Read more
New Zealand, Canada each claim wins in CPTPP dairy dispute
Dispute panel knocks Canada's dairy access rules
A dispute settlement panel called by New Zealand under the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade pact has ruled Canada’s limits on dairy market access cramp its agreed-upon obligations. But despite the panel’s findings in New Zealand’s favour, Canada is also framing the panel’s ruling as a win — as it also generally upholds Canada’s ability to […] Read more
Alberta dairy producers fight food insecurity
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Milk has launched phase two of a campaign in which it encourages Albertans to help it reach a $100,000 donation target to support people facing food insecurity through a partnership with Food Banks Alberta. Until Aug. 1, Alberta Milk will match donations made to foodbanksalberta.ca/abdairyfarmers to a maximum aggregate amount of $50,000, which will […] Read more
At Ag in Motion: New tester monitors bull fertility
Glacier FarmMedia – Slow-swimming bull sperm will have no place to hide. A Scottish company, Dyneval, has created a new semen analyzer that measures a wider range of concentrations of semen than previous testing methods. This will allow veterinarians, beef and dairy producers to have more control over semen quality. The Dynescanl analyzer is also […] Read more
Manitoba dairyman named to lead national body
David Wiens elected president of Dairy Farmers of Canada
The vice-president of Dairy Farmers of Canada has levelled up to lead the organization following elections at its annual meeting Wednesday in Winnipeg. David Wiens, who farms with his brother at Grunthal, Man., about 50 km southeast of Winnipeg, replaces Pierre Lampron, an organic dairy farmer in Quebec’s Mauricie region and DFC president since 2017. […] Read more
Dates moved up in dairy sector’s CUSMA compensation calendar
Calculation date will shift to Aug. 31
Changes are being made to the timetable for the remainder of the program compensating Canada’s dairy farmers for market share lost to recent multilateral trade deals. The Dairy Direct Payment Program (DDPP), which issued $1.75 billion over four payments from 2019 to 2023 to compensate for the Canada-European Union (CETA) and Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade […] Read more
Things to bear in mind with bovine corona virus
Reading Time: 3 minutes The common cold, SARS and COVID-19 are all caused by corona viruses and severity of infection varies. The same is true for bovine corona virus. Like other corona viruses, it can cause different syndromes and has long been known as a major cause of calf scours and respiratory disease. Animals with mild respiratory disease will […] Read more
New research will look at dairy welfare and technology
The use of artificial intelligence to help farmers improve dairy animal care will be studied on Ontario and Quebec farms
Reading Time: 2 minutes A new research collaboration at McGill University and the University of Quebec in Montreal will explore the role of artificial intelligence in promoting dairy cattle welfare. The project aims to create “a digital living lab to link animal welfare and dairy farms’ profitability.” The creation of the Research and Innovation Chair in Animal Welfare and […] Read more
Continuous tie-stall housing to be phased out in new dairy code of practice
Producer, animal welfare groups praise new code; some drawbacks were noted
New guidelines for dairy cattle care will improve animal welfare while also potentially increasing farm productivity, Dairy Farmers of Canada says. “I think that we’ve come to a very solid revised code,” David Wiens, DFC’s vice-president, said in an interview. The National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) on Thursday released its revised Code of Practice […] Read more
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