This article was originally written by Joel Bagg in 2013. It was edited May 25th, 2022 by Christine O'Reilly to reflect current insecticide options to control alfalfa weevil. Alfalfa weevil can be an issue in Ontario, particularly in south-western parts of the province. While outbreaks tend to be isolated, they can be severe and dramatically [...]
A calf's microbiome is established very early in life. The microscopic world cannot be seen, but it can impact dairy production, health, and the environment. We tend to think of microbes in the context of causing disease, but they are a key driver of life and provide many benefits to animals, especially to the ruminant. [...]
By Marlene Paibomesai Originally published in 2021 in the Milk Producer Magazine (Dairy Farmers of Ontario Production) Employee engagement is an area of interest on many farms across Canada. With increasing dairy herd sizes, there is a need for additional labour from non-family members to operate the modern dairy. There’s also a need for employees [...]
February promises to be a month of dairy innovation and learning as we present three outstanding events. Join us at the Eastern Ontario Dairy Days on February 13th and 14th, where keynote speaker Dr. Marina vonKeyserlingk leads discussions on sustainable dairy practices, followed by the South Western Ontario Dairy Symposium on February 22nd, headlined by [...]
Working with Progressive Dairy Operators, the OMAFRA Dairy Team wants to hear from you on current wages, compensation, and labour needs on your dairy farm. The survey has been designed to determine labour efficiency per cow and per hectoliter of milk produced, position (e.g. milker, calf feeder, herd manager) wages, and other compensation provided. Since 2004, [...]
We're #hiring. Livestock summer positions have been posted for Summer 2024! We have an outstanding 3 Dairy Summer Research Assistant positions in the Agriculture Development Branch at OMAFRA. You will get to work with Tom Wright and Marlene Paibomesai on projects in the dairy cattle and dairy goat industries. There are other livestock-focused positions available with [...]
Caution! Members of the sorghum family – sorghum, sudangrass, and hybrid sorghum-sudangrass – contain dhurrin, a glucoside that breaks down to release hydrocyanic acid, also known as prussic acid (hydrogen cyanide, HCN). A sudden disruption of growth such as frost, drought or cutting, causes prussic acid to be released inside the plant at a more [...]
Key Points Alfalfa needs about 6 weeks in the fall to store energy that will fuel spring regrowth. A killing frost for alfalfa is -4°C for at least 4 hours. Other stressors - stand age, cutting frequency, disease and insect pressure, soil fertility - also affect winterkill risk. Stands that are mostly alfalfa are not [...]
This article was originally written by Joel Bagg in 2012. It was edited June 27, 2023 by Christine O'Reilly to reflect current insecticide options to control potato leafhopper and the cessation of third-party alfalfa variety trials in Ontario. Potato leafhopper (PLH) is the most damaging alfalfa insect pest in Ontario in most years. While the [...]
Are you interested in learning about new, innovative research happening in the dairy industry but don’t have time? Whether you’re plowing fields or milking cows, podcasts are a great way to get updates, information, and insights on happenings in the dairy industry. We’ve listed 5 dairy podcasts, in no particular order, to listen to in [...]
Dairy and Beef Cattle Production 