Five Ontario companies are among 13 semi-finalists selected in the federal government's Agricultural Methane Reduction Challenge, which is seeking innovative ways to reduce methane emissions from dairy and beef cattle.
Challenge model a new way to fund, support innovation
Selecting beef genetics for profitability and performance
Three producers touch on everything from feed efficiency to getting the most information possible on AI sires
Three Ontario beef farmers shared their thoughts around increasing performance and profitability through breeding choices. Their panel discussion was part of the 2020 Beef Symposium held at the University of Guelph earlier this year. Brad Gilchrist Beef marketing manager with Semex and owner, Gilchrist Farms, Lucknow, Ont. Gilchrist Farms sell commercial and purebred breeding stock. […] Read more
Feedlot health starts with the cow
While the industry has gotten better at managing disease, cow-calf producers can reduce even more health issues in feedlot cattle
Some of the biggest health challenges in finishing cattle can be minimized or even prevented long before the animals arrive at the feedlot. In fact, calves can be set on a path to better health before birth, according to veterinarian Dr. Greg Dimmers of Metzger Veterinary Services in Linwood, Ont., to help address what he […] Read more
Stockyard offers regional market opportunities for Atlantic producers
The new owners of Atlantic Stockyards, one of the few remaining auction marts in the region, are determined to grow their business by attracting more buyers and putting more cattle through the ring
For more than 60 years, the auction market at Murray Siding, N.S., near Truro, has been a mainstay of the livestock business in Atlantic Canada. Atlantic Stockyards Ltd. changed ownership in 2019 and although operating through the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t been without its challenges, new owners Scott and Natalie Dixon have plans to grow the […] Read more
Ontario beef producers help young people get into farming
James and Joan McKinlay recognize the importance of setting up the next generation to succeed
James and Joan McKinlay are passionate about beef farming. They also believe strongly in the next generation and in the role established producers can play in getting young farmers started in the industry. It’s a philosophy they’ve put into practice on their own farm, working with their son and four other young people to start […] Read more
Harnessing precision technology for better beef profitability
Profitable periods can be elusive in the beef industry, but new precision technologies could be a way to greater returns. That’s according to Dr. Robin White, assistant professor of integrated beef production systems management at Virginia Tech, who spoke at the 2019 Beef Symposium in Guelph, Ont., this past winter. “We want to influence the feedback […] Read more
OSCIA: Non-traditional crops may yield health market opportunities
There may be opportunities for Ontario farmers to grow medicinal and culinary herbs, as well as other non-traditional crops, for the health market — but the first step is determining whether it’s possible to grow these crops in Ontario. That step was the basis of a Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)-led […] Read more
OSCIA: Cover crop options after winter wheat and into standing corn
A two-year research project underway in southwestern Ontario is evaluating various cover crops, including when and where to plant and how to manage them to achieve the best results. They’re being planted either after winter wheat harvest or into standing corn. “About five to 10 per cent of field crop growers use them on a […] Read more
OSCIA: Managing soybean seedling diseases can cut production costs
High soybean yields begin with a healthy stand of vigorous plants. Seedling diseases, along with other factors such as weather, can result in the need to replant and drive up the cost of production. A project underway in conjunction with researchers from the U.S. is determining which pathogens affect soybean seedlings, and developing diagnostic tools […] Read more
OSCIA: Disease awareness can improve alfalfa yield, quality
Traditional diseases affecting alfalfa crops are as prevalent as emerging ones — that’s the somewhat surprising finding of the 2012 alfalfa disease survey that was conducted in Ontario last year to look at incidence, distribution and severity of many common diseases affecting commercial alfalfa fields in Ontario. “We were initially thinking we would find mostly […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
