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.

It’s uncertain what will happen in the next quarter or two, but we all want to see farms succeed. Dairy farms help feed the world, and by taking a closer look at your operations, expenses and the comfort of your cows, you can identify areas for improvement that will keep your business profitable.

Consider productivity, longevity and sustainability when considering a retrofit for automated milking.

It has now been more than a year since Canada’s new Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Dairy Cattle was published. With only a few exceptions, the requirements of the new code came into effect on April 1, 2024. How can our industry live up to the new standards it has set for itself in this code?

Progressive Dairy asked the top herd owners from each province whether they focus on production or management benchmarks. Each dairy producer also gave us an indication of which of the six key performance index benchmarks they focused on in their herd.

Studies show the decrease in fertility can be strongly associated with transition cow health. Utilizing a Double Ovsynch program could increase fertility even in cows with health events during transition.