Open. It is a word no veterinarian enjoys saying during the herd check. While researchers continue to look for ways to improve the outcomes of live births, improving the trace mineral status of the cow may be a promising way to reduce hearing that dreaded word: open.

Fibre digestibility plays a pivotal role in dairy cow nutrition, directly influencing dry matter intake (DMI), rumen health and milk production. The drought of 2025 intensified challenges in forage quality, particularly in Ontario and Quebec, prompting producers to explore innovative nutritional strategies.

To make high-quality silage that drives milk production, your focus should be on preserving energy, protein, and digestibility, minimizing spoilage, and maximizing intake potential.

While vaccines contribute greatly to a cow’s immune system, there are other aspects of the immune system that should not be forgotten. Ensuring that essential elements such as trace minerals are provided, allows for the cow’s entire immune system to be ready to fight off an invasion, not just relying on the special forces.

The arrival of spring always offers a sense of renewal and a promise of new beginnings as the fields turn green, making it the ideal time to set haylage quality goals for the year. Generally, when discussing haylage quality, the conversation is usually centred around forage quality for the lactating herd, as it makes up the largest percentage of feed being consumed.

Although the 2024 harvest is now over, the Canadian agricultural industry will continue to deal with ongoing challenges of mycotoxins. Mycotoxins, naturally occurring chemical toxins produced by certain moulds, have been linked to a range of issues in farm animals.