As we head into 2025, silage piles are being opened and many producers are feeding 2024 harvested forages. This transitional period brings nutritional concerns along with the potential for wild spoilage yeasts and bacteria to emerge. It's an ideal moment to recognize the crucial link between silage fermentation, gut health, and overall herd performance and well-being.

Imagine stepping into your barn and understanding exactly what your cows are feeling – not by watching for obvious signs but by actually "hearing" their emotions. Every moo, bellow and low carries a hidden message, revealing whether a cow is content, stressed or reacting to its environment.

Brown Heaven Farm is a fifth-generation Brown Swiss dairy farm located in Verchères, Quebec. Alyson Rousseau at age 12 is following in her family’s footsteps with her passion for dairy. 

This article from researchers from the University of Guelph is a literature review discussing insights and knowledge gaps linking health disorders with different processes related to reproductive function.

This time of year offers a unique opportunity for reflection – both looking back at the successes and challenges of the past year and setting your sights on the future. It's a moment to evaluate your business from all angles and ensure it’s aligned with your long-term goals.

The type of feed storage and the method of storage and silage are important factors when trying to limit feed losses.

It took five years from concept to construction for Don-Mair Farms Ltd. of Mount Hope, Ontario, to start utilizing a compost-bedded pack barn, but owner Aaron Smith has been pleased with the outcome. This unique barn style has changed a few management aspects of the 80-cow herd but has proven to be a profitable change for the business.

“Today we have a third of the number of cows we had in 1960, and we’re producing more milk,” said Christine Baes of the University of Guelph during her keynote presentation at the 2024 Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council annual meeting. “That’s a pretty good sustainability story, but when you Google ‘sustainability and dairy cows,’ you see headlines about cow flatulence. Why is that?”