Coined as the Ontario Experience X3, the Ontario Spring Discovery will be held April 3-6 at the Ancaster Fairgrounds in Jerseyville.
The Canadian Dairy XPO is planned for April 5-6 at the Stratford Rotary Complex in Stratford, and the Holstein National Convention will take place April 5-8 at the Sheraton Parkway Toronto, Richmond Hill.
“From the inception of the Canadian Dairy XPO, it was a vision to create a full dairy week that was bigger than CDX itself,” CDX general manager Jordon Underhill explains.
“Having three national dairy events the first week of April in southwestern Ontario is a ‘Super Bowl’ for the Canadian dairy industry.”
In addition to the many exhibits throughout the indoor and outdoor trade show, CDX maintains its educational focus through the Dairy Classroom in Hall 1.
The well-liked Incredible Dr. Pol presentation is back for the second year in a row and will open the classroom each day at 10:10 a.m. As a practicing veterinarian for more than half his life, Dr. Jan Pol will deliver a targeted message for dairy producers and youth.
Following this presentation on the first day, the classroom will be home to a tactical business workshop featuring five different business-related sessions. Topics will include profitability, farm transition, branding, negotiation and market outlook.
On April 6, the Purina CowSignals Team will take the stage following Pol’s presentation to outline how their approach can be used to increase cow comfort.
Next, Dr. Tom Wheal, co-owner of Oxford Bovine Veterinary Service, will lead a workshop about on-farm ultrasound.
A heifer calf development panel will offer practical information dairy producers can take home to further enhance their calf- and heifer-raising programs from 12:45 to 2:15 p.m. in the classroom.
Experts will address all things related to calves, from colostrum and nutrition to housing and health. Panelists include Amanda Kerr, Grober Nutrition; Darren VanBuuren, Agri-Plastics; Andrew Beckel, Golden Calf Company; and Dr. Jodi Wallace, Ormstown Veterinary Hospital and Silverstream Holsteins.
“I think there’s a lot of expertise on the panel. They are people from all over that have great knowledge on different ways of raising calves,” Dave Crossan, ruminant business manager, Shur-Gain, says.
To round out the classroom presentations, Yvonne Leenders, manager, Global Dairy Farmers, will share images and experiences from dairy farms across the globe.
As always, CDX is offering new features around the grounds.
DeLaval will provide 360-degree virtual reality farm tours of leading European dairy farms. These videos will be projected onto a large screen in the Cow Coliseum as well as available to view through virtual reality headsets for a select number of individuals.
To learn more about on-farm ultrasound use, dairy producers can sign up for an on-site, hands-on course. These 30-minute workshops offered by FarmTech Solutions Inc. will be held on Thursday from 1:30 to 4 p.m. in the Milk House next to Hall 2. Sign-up details are located at the FarmTech booth in Hall 2.
Dave Eastman of Validity Genetics Testing will host a session at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day at the CDX Genomics Education Centre, located in the Cow Coliseum. These sessions will feature interactive demonstrations where three to four heifers will be assessed visually and then compared to genomic testing results.
For a delicious treat, stop by the new 4-H ice cream stand in the Cow Coliseum. This joint venture among CDX, the Paul Mueller Company and Chapman’s Ice Cream will allow 4-H members to sell ice cream treats as a fundraiser opportunity to support their area associations.
Don’t forget to come to the event early for a free breakfast offered between 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. both days in the Dairy Classroom in Hall 1. Then stay late on Wednesday for CheeseFest featuring 100% Canadian cheese, a cash bar and live entertainment from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Cow Coliseum.
Admission to CDX is $25 for adults, $20 with a coupon, and children 10 and under are free. Visit Canadian Dairy XPO for more event information. 
Canadian Dairy XPO (CDX) Schedule of events
Wednesday, April 5
8-9:30 a.m. Free breakfast – Hall 1: Dairy Classroom
9 a.m. All trade show halls open
10 a.m. Validity/Vogue Genomics Education Centre Opens – Cow Coliseum
10 a.m. Purina Dairy Classroom opens – Hall 1: Dairy Classroom
10:10 a.m. The Incredible Dr. Pol – Hall 1: Dairy Classroom Dr. Jan Pol, The Incredible Dr. Pol, Nat Geo Wild
11:15 a.m. Financial Matrix for Profitability – Hall 1: Dairy Classroom Devin Brennan, principal, Ocresco and Associates Inc.
12 p.m. Generational Management: Continuation Solution for Family Farms – Hall 1: Dairy Classroom Ken Nesbitt, financial adviser, Nesbitt Financial Strategies Inc.
12:45 p.m. Why Do I Need to Brand? – Hall 1: Dairy Classroom Len Kahn, owner and CEO, Kahntact Marketing
1:30 p.m. Negotiation and Decision Making Strategies – Hall 1: Dairy Classroom Glen Whyte, lawyer and professor, University of Toronto
2 p.m. Validity/Vogue Genomics Education Centre – Cow Coliseum
2:15 p.m. Future Economic Intel – Hall 1: Dairy Classroom JP Gervais, vice-president and chief agricultural economist, Farm Credit Canada
4 p.m. All trade show halls close
4-7 p.m. CheeseFEST! Free to attend – Cow Coliseum
Thursday, April 6
8-9:30 a.m. Free breakfast – Hall 1: Dairy Classroom
9 a.m. All trade show halls open
10 a.m. Validity/Vogue Genomics Education Centre Opens – Cow Coliseum
10 a.m. Purina Dairy Classroom opens – Hall 1: Dairy Classroom
10:10 a.m. The Incredible Dr. Pol – Hall 1: Dairy Classroom Dr. Jan Pol, The Incredible Dr. Pol, Nat Geo Wild
11 a.m. CowSignals Workshop – Hall 1: Dairy Classroom Purina CowSignals Team
12 p.m. Ultrasound Workshop – Hall 1: Dairy Classroom Dr. Tom Wheal, co-owner, Oxford Bovine Veterinary Service
12:45 p.m. Heifer Calf Development Panel – Hall 1: Dairy Classroom Amanda Kerr, lead nutritionist, Grober Nutrition Andy Beckel, owner, Golden Calf Company Darren VanBuuren, director, Agri-Plastics Mfg. Dr. Jodi Wallace, dairy producer and veterinarian, Ormstown Veterinary Hospital
2 p.m. Validity/Vogue Genomics Education Centre – Cow Coliseum
2:15 p.m. International Virtual Dairy Farm Tours – Hall 1: Dairy Classroom Yvonne Leenders, manager, Global Dairy Farmers
4 p.m. All trade show halls close
Ongoing/Daily
- DeLaval 360-degree Virtual Euro Farm Tours – Cow Coliseum
- Genetics at Work – Dairy Daughter Showcase – Cow Coliseum
- Milking Robot Showcase – Cow Coliseum
- 4-H Heifer Calf Draw – Cow Coliseum
- 4-H Calf Private Treaty Sale – Cow Coliseum
- Milk Maker Forage Competition – Lower Lobby
