Top showmanship judges look for a clean, shiny animal free of dust and dandruff. A few extra minutes in the barn each day prior to the show can achieve that look for your show animals.

In the heart of Vancouver Island's Alberni Valley, Russell and Jennifer Dyson care for their water buffalo herd at Coleman Meadows Farm. From the bustling milking parlour to the warm welcome of visitors, their passion for farming and advocacy is palpable. The couple share an unwavering dedication to Canadian agriculture, bolstered by their bonds with the unusual creatures helping them fulfill their dairy dreams.

For many, the life of a farmer sounds peaceful: living in the countryside, working outdoors, growing our food – but a scratch on that surface is going to show a much different reality.

Whether new research was presented or different management tactics were discussed, one question was consistent throughout the conference: How will this affect the longevity of a cow?

Your body is not a machine. You are not serving yourself or others well by being a workaholic. When are you going to pay attention to your physical, emotional and mental needs, and those of your spouse and family?

Approximately 50% of dairy cows, the pinnacle of metabolic athletes within the species, will experience a production-associated disease (e.g., mastitis, metritis, ketosis, displaced abomasum) in every lactation. Even in the best facilities with the best management, mastitis is an inherent risk that can’t be eliminated, so our aim is to reduce it.

A mysterious disease that pops up suddenly, spreads quickly and strikes with devastating consequences is pretty much every dairy farmer’s worst nightmare. For one ill-fated central Alberta dairy, this nightmare became a grim reality.

Can you feel the excitement of the dairy industry as we enter spring 2024? I can! I remember as a child when we got to the month of April, we could hardly contain our excitement, as it meant that it was time to get back to our friends in the cow business through sales, shows and social events.