Lowering somatic cell counts

Like the Hollywood blobs of movies past, somatic cells roll across the screen and envelope bacteria before killing them. For dairy producers, like those in the audience at the recent Manitoba Dairy Conference, somatic cells are often seen as the villains – after all, a high somatic cell count is the primary indicator of mastitis.

China imports dairy cows

China is importing more dairy cows to try and beef up its transition to larger-scale farms, as the industry attempts to boost production and quality following a deadly scandal. China plans to nearly double milk production to 64 million tonnes by 2020, as part of a long-term plan by the Ministry of Agriculture to improve



New Fluid Milk Price Formula Aims For Stability

CO-OPERATOR STAFF / PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE Dairy producers will begin using a new pricing formula for fluid milk this February. The new formula relies on two components; cost of production and the consumer price index, each weighted at 50 per cent. Under the current three-factor formula, consumer price index was 30 per cent of the


“Free Your Milk” Campaign Launched

Over half of Canadians think dairy products are too expensive, according to a recent survey by a restaurant and food services association. The current system is making Canadian milk and cheese less attractive and less affordable for everyone, said Garth Whyte, president and CEO of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA). The survey conducted

Slow Food:

Taking cows to pastures high in the Italian Alps and then making cheese by hand in a nearby tent while the milk is still warm may all seem a bit too much like unnecessary drudgery in an age of high-tech agriculture. But for a group of 14 makers of the rich Italian cheese Bitto Storico,



Canadian-EU Beef Exports Become More Economic

Canadian beef may soon have easier access to European Union (EU) markets, thanks to upcoming revisions to the production and processing protocol that governs Europe s imports of Canadian beef. These changes would be very significant, says Mark Klassen, director of technical services for the Canadian Cattlemen s Association, who has been working with industry


Weaning Too Quickly Cause Aftereffects That Last A Lifetime

Weaning has a significant lifetime impact on a horse s well-being because of the nutritional, emotional, mental, physical, and social changes that occur at that time. Foals are very dependent on their mother s milk at four months of age, after which they gradually become nutritionally independent. Ideally by six months they will have made

Health Canada Raps Raw Milk, Again

Health Canada has issued a sternly worded warning against drinking raw milk because it could contain bacteria that can make you seriously ill. It has issued advisories about raw milk in the past. This isn t the first statement from the department about the dangers of raw milk. As usual when it releases food safety