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As is tradition, three Alberta dairies graciously opened their farms to tours by attendees of the Western Canadian Dairy Seminars held March 5-8 in Red Deer, Alberta. Here is a glimpse into each of their operations.
Mastitis is among the most costly diseases of dairy cattle.
It is a complex disease with many causes, many presentations and many treatment options.
Prevention remains the most effective means of controlling this disease.
Best management practices allow all the good things for the baby calf that keep her properly nourished and comfortable as she grows from heifer into her first lactation.
We like to think these include automatically good feet and legs that will walk right into the fresh cow group ready to create farm profit.
A common misconception is that calves should receive colostrum from their own dam or herd to be protected against pathogens present on their own farm.
However, certain natural colostrum replacers do in fact provide protection from diseases worldwide and should be considered in any colostrum management program.
Management strategy defines the success of calf programs. Calves are challenged from birth with an immature immune system, and at the same time they are programmed to grow quickly.
A large part of managing young calves is their feeding program. It is an important first step to ensure that the milk replacer has been formulated with good-quality milk ingredients for optimal digestion and growth.
Immunity in a healthy and strong calf begins before birth.
Producers often focus on the pathogens that create disease in young calves, but the focus needs to shift to a holistic approach in building up immunity through colostrum, nutrition, the calving process, environment and management.
Some producers are good at getting calves out alive, and some are not.
Good calving technique is not something you learn in school, it is something you learn by experience – and it is always better to learn from someone else’s experience.
Canadian Dairy XPO (CDX) show management plans to double the size of the show for 2014, after the success of the inaugural CDX this past February. With support from the mayor of Stratford and key city officials, the 2014 CDX will expand to the entire Stratford Rotary Complex, including both hockey rinks.
Four of Alltech’s crop science products have received approval from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Agro-Mos, Soil-Set, Crop-Set and Grain-Set are now registered as micronutrient fertilizers in the Canadian agronomic market.
I’ve always said farms are like snowflakes: There are no two alike.
One of the best parts of my job is that I get to see a lot of farms. When I started in this field about a decade ago, I probably should have begun a tally of every farm I visited. I’m guessing by now it would be in the hundreds.
Some of my most memorable visits are to farms in other parts of the country, or other countries, for that matter. Each region, climate, government, economy, etc. impacts how each dairy is set up and operated.
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