Dairy Cattle & Production Tips

Parmalat gets GF2 funds for new Winnipeg milk plant

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News December 15, 2015

Dairy giant Parmalat is set to get federal and Manitoba government funding toward its planned new $50 million milk plant in Winnipeg. The two levels of government on Tuesday pledged $2.5 million toward the construction of Parmalat’s new dairy plant at an industrial park in the city’s St. Boniface area, about seven km east of […] Read more

One of the challenges of putting up corn silage is to harvest when it is not too dry or too wet. Although water can be added to the ration to increase moisture content.

Dairy Cattle, The Dairy Corner

Test corn silage moisture for better milk production

The Dairy Corner: Dairy producers should test every time a new bag, bunk or silo is opened

By Peter Vitti December 3, 2015

There are three stages to the corn harvest in Manitoba. The first starts in September when the corn crop matures and whole plant moisture dries to about 35 per cent dry matter — it’s one of the best time to take off corn silage. The second occurs weeks later when the grain corn dries to […] Read more

Jean-Claude Poissant, shown here at the opening of Maison ACFA in St-Hyacinthe, is the Liberals’ new parliamentary secretary for agriculture. (ACFAreseaux.qc.ca)

Dairy Cattle, Livestock

Que. dairyman named parliamentary ag secretary

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News December 3, 2015

Canada’s agriculture minister will get a Quebec dairyman and grain farmer turned rookie Liberal MP as his new parliamentary secretary. Jean-Claude Poissant, who won the re-formed Montreal-area riding of La Prairie for the Liberals on Oct. 19 by a spread of almost 5,900 votes over Bloc Quebecois contender Christian Picard, was named Wednesday as parliamentary […] Read more

Dairy Cattle, Livestock, Machinery

GTA police track down alleged cheesenappers

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News November 26, 2015

Three Toronto-area men face theft charges after a tractor trailer load of cheese took a late-night road trip in the wee hours Wednesday. The truckload of cheese had been reported stolen from the Brampton, Ont. area on Tuesday, York Regional Police said in a release. The YRP said they then got a call shortly after […] Read more

Crops, Dairy Cattle, Markets, Reuters

U.S. grains: Wheat drops on improving crop conditions, big stocks

By GFM Network News November 24, 2015

Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. wheat futures fell more than two per cent on Tuesday, giving up all the prior session’s gains, as a further improvement in the condition of the U.S. winter crop placed attention back on ample global supply of the staple cereal. Corn prices eased, following wheat lower and further pressured by […] Read more

Quebec diary farming family Christian Bilodeau and Annie Sirois and their family Kellyann, 14, Louis-Alexis, 13, Charles-Antoine, 10 and Lily, eight.

Dairy Cattle, News

Quebec regional OYF finalists: Christian Bilodeau and Annie Sirois

This Quebec family runs a dairy herd, 360 acres, and an occasional maple syrup business

By Lee Hart November 16, 2015

New facilities for their top performing Ayrshire dairy herd are on the agenda as Christian Bilodeau and Annie Sirois look at the future improvements to their southern Quebec farm. Working with older facilities now, with the milking herd, calves and dry cows housed in separate barns, the Quebec couple, who farm at St-Odilon-de-Cranbourne, south of […] Read more

Altantic Canada OYF regional nominees, David and Sara Simmons with daughter Felicity.

Dairy Cattle, Livestock, News

Atlantic OYF finalists David and Sara Simmons

This Newfoundland couple enlist technology to improve dairy farm efficiency

By Lee Hart November 16, 2015

While there are some logistical issues involved being one of the further-most eastern dairy farms in Canada, David and Sara Simmons hasn’t let that stop them from developing a progressive and productive farming operation, and becoming a producer of high quality breeding stock. As the owners of Pure Holsteins dairy farm at Little Rapid, Newfoundland Labrador […] Read more

With 1.3 million acres of soybeans in Manitoba it has not only become an important cash crop, but it can also be processed as an excellent protein source helping dairy cattle produce more milk.

Cattleman’s Corner, Dairy Cattle

The Dairy Corner: Soybeans have excellent fit in dairy diets

Sometimes more expensive, but they can put more milk in the tank

By Peter Vitti November 12, 2015

I am fortunate to travel across wide stretches of Manitoba and have observed the explosive growth of soybean acres over the last decade. From 2005, only about 100,000 acres were planted and this acreage has steadily increased to about 1.3 million acres, today. Recently, I asked many dairy/soybean producers, why they grew this crop. Most […] Read more

Saputo’s Canadian dairy division includes brands such as Dairyland, Neilson, Nutrilait, Baxter and Armstrong. (Dave Bedard photo)

Dairy Cattle, Livestock, Markets, Reuters

TPP deal to pressure Canadian dairy farmers, Saputo says

By Rod Nickel, GFM Network News November 6, 2015

Reuters — Canadian farmers will get squeezed between new trade deals that allow more dairy imports to enter the country and slow-growing domestic consumption, Saputo’s CEO said on Thursday. The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal is expected to open access for New Zealand, the U.S. and other countries to 3.5 per cent of the Canadian market, […] Read more

Dairy Cattle, Livestock

Agropur to consolidate B.C. milk processing

By Grainews Staff, GFM Network News November 6, 2015

Dairy co-operative Agropur plans to tighten up its fluid milk processing on British Columbia’s Lower Mainland, upgrading its milk plant at Burnaby and shutting its plant at Chilliwack. Quebec-based Agropur took over the Burnaby plant, along with facilities in Edmonton and Winnipeg, when it bought the former Canada Safeway milk processing plants from Sobeys last […] Read more

Increased interest-free canola cash advances rolling out

Mexico confirms case of New World screwworm in northern state, USDA says

Proposed dicamba restrictions please expert

GFM Network News