Progressive Dairy

Changes to business risk management programs under Sustainable CAP

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's BRM programs, updated under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, help producers manage risks with enhanced features, simplified processes and integrated climate risk management.

July 24, 2024

AgriStability is one of the mainstays of BRM programs. Under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) – a five-year agreement and multibillion-dollar pledge among the federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen the competitiveness, innovation and resiliency of Canada’s agri‐food sector – some changes have been introduced to enhance the program.

Coast-to-coast investment in dairy processing

Significant investments in Canadian dairy processing are creating job opportunities, facilitating industry growth and contributing to sustainability goals, all while addressing concerns around capacity limitations.

July 23, 2024

Emma Ohirko

Excitingly, the past several months have brought announcements of significant dairy processing investment across the country, offering some level of relief to dairy processing concerns.

Focusing on corn silage makes cents

High-quality corn silage significantly boosts milk production and dairy profitability by enhancing nutrient availability and reducing feed costs.

July 22, 2024

Matt Groen

The economic impact of high-quality corn silage is often underestimated. A corn silage harvest with excellent starch availability, exceptional fibre digestibility and ideal fermentation profiles can mean milk production and components come easily while maximizing forage in the diet.

Faber's Food for Thought: Cow poop and little Dutch boys

July 19, 2024

Dwayne Faber

There is nothing more grounding than being covered with 24-hour-old, dairy-cow-processed total mixed ration (TMR).

Maximizing corn silage quality: Key decisions for a successful harvest

As corn silage season approaches, crucial decisions must be made to ensure a high-quality crop, including cutting height, late-season plant health, hybrid genetics and kernel processing, all aimed at providing consistent forage for dairy herds.

July 18, 2024

Ashley Knapton

The growing season has a large impact on our corn silage, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have options to manage the variables.

Inside Brilman Dairy: How a first-gen dairy producer’s fieldwork expertise drives revenue diversification

Photos tell the story of southern Alberta's Brilman Dairy – showcasing the farm's automation and efforts to increase non-dairy revenue.

July 17, 2024

Emma Ohirko

Brilman Dairy welcomed Progressive Dairy into his facility to share some of its inner workings and the keys to his farm’s productivity.

Three ratios to improve your dairy’s financial fitness

As we age, health principles like stability, cardio and strength are vital, just as key financial ratios like working capital, debt-to-equity and debt service are essential for assessing and improving the financial health of dairy operations.

July 16, 2024

Mark Verwey

We spend a lot of time talking about properly saving and investing money to ensure a happy retirement, but if you are not investing in your own health, what good is monetary wealth?

Advantages of herd management software

Herd management software helps farmers set and achieve goals, stay organized and meet performance needs efficiently through easy data entry, practical analysis tools, a user-friendly interface and excellent support.

July 15, 2024

Emélie Bell

Why exactly is using software so advantageous for you and your herd? Ultimately, it comes down to your goals, wants and needs.

Dairy farming 2.0: Milking the potential of artificial intelligence

The integration of AI into dairy farming offers significant opportunities for improved efficiency and early disease detection, though it requires careful consideration of factors like learning curves, sustainability, data privacy and dealing with false-positive alerts.

July 11, 2024

Diego B. Nobrega

We are now seeing another revolution, fuelled by the rapid development and increasing popularity of artificial intelligence (AI). AI tools are becoming more popular among farmers because they behave like high-tech helpers who assist with daily activities on farms.

Effective employee training

Effective training tailored to each position's specific needs, incorporating job hazard analysis, safe operating procedures and maintaining detailed training records are all crucial for enhancing productivity, safety and workplace culture on farms.

July 10, 2024

Cheryl DeCooman

The key to good training is to first determine what type of training each position requires. A herdsperson will not need the same type of training as a manager.