Discover best practices in dairy production from Ontario’s top-performing dairy farms. Our expert advisors share key takeaways and how to boost your herd’s performance.
Field Training in Dairy Production: Best Practices for Ontario Dairy Farms
In early May, Uniag Cooperative’s animal production advisors traveled to Western Ontario for a hands-on field training tour. The goal? To learn from top-performing dairy farms and foster peer learning. This experience strengthened our team’s on-farm expertise while providing valuable insights to better support dairy producers in Ontario and Quebec.
Exceptional farms as learning environments
The tour included four exceptional dairy farms located in the counties of Waterloo and Wellington, each recognized for their disciplined management and high performance. These farms are known for:
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Quotas ranging from 330 to 800 kg.
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Use of robotic milking systems or 3x milking routines.
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Ranking among Lactanet’s Top Managed Dairy Herds in Canada.
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Production levels reaching 2 kg of butterfat per cow per day.
Key Takeaways and Best Practices
✅ Consistency and Discipline
Success starts with unwavering consistency:
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Clear protocols for feeding times, calving, and dry-off routines.
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Scheduled animal movements, leaving nothing to chance.
✅ Forage Quality and Ration Precision
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Use of homofermentative silage inoculants for optimal fermentation.
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Harvesting at the best maturity stage, with perfect compaction in bunk silos.
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In two cases, 100% of fieldwork outsourced to contractors for consistent results.
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Premixes prepared using self-feeding mixers.
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Daily refusal measurement and regular dry matter content checks.
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No forage fed before at least 3 months of fermentation.
✅ An Engaged Team
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Clear leadership within each department.
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Employees actively involved and motivated to achieve farm goals.
✅ Strategic Heifer Management
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Over 100% of heifers raised, allowing for rigorous selection at 10 months or calving.
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Genomic testing, conformation, and treatment history used as selection criteria.
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Despite high calf prices, focus remains on long-term herd quality.
✅ Animal Comfort and Welfare
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Clean, spacious, well-ventilated pre-calving pens.
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Proactive locomotion monitoring and prompt issue resolution.
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A shared belief: comfortable cows perform better.
Supporting Dairy Producers
This dairy farm field training proved to be an invaluable source of inspiration for our advisors. They return better equipped and more motivated than ever to support dairy producers in overcoming their daily challenges.
Want to improve your dairy herd’s performance?
Contact our team of animal production advisors—we’re here to help your business succeed!
