On every dairy, misunderstandings like this happen, sometimes in dosing, sometimes in colostrum feeding, sometimes in milking prep or tagging calves. While some missteps can be costly, almost all point back to the same root cause: people hearing and interpreting protocols differently.

Over the last few years, Canadian dairy producers have faced a rapidly evolving economic landscape. Feed costs now as much as ever are one of the critical determinants of profitability.

There are discussions in dairy industries in many countries about whether it should be an explicit aim to increase longevity. Some assert that retaining cows for longer lactations or more years contributes to sustainability because fewer replacement animals would be needed, reducing the environmental costs of these non-productive animals.

To mitigate bunker silo hazards, it is crucial to ensure safety protocols are in place when filling, covering and removing silage, as well as when handling gases and performing other tasks around the bunker silo.

Retirement looks different for each of us. For some, it means ceasing to work completely. For others, it’s a shift in responsibility from owner to operator. And for some, it’s as simple as not being “on call” for those unforeseen events, like a 2 a.m. breech calving or a frozen milkline.