One of DFC's research investments is Industrial Research Chairs (IRCs), which coordinate multiple research projects under one initiative to find solutions for industry-wide priorities. DFC, along with the NSERC and multiple sector partners, helps to fund IRCs on high-priority issues for Canada’s dairy industry.

Computer vision and similar non-invasive and adaptable technologies are advancing our ability to monitor animal health and welfare in modern dairy farming. 

Yes, the revised Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Dairy Cattle could mean more work and/or investment for some dairy farmers, but the results are well worth it, not only at the farm level, but at an industry level as well.

Correctly differentiating mastitis from teat sealant residue is important to minimize unnecessary interventions and to make sure we’re using antibiotics judiciously on farms. 

It has now been more than a year since Canada’s new Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Dairy Cattle was published. With only a few exceptions, the requirements of the new code came into effect on April 1, 2024. How can our industry live up to the new standards it has set for itself in this code?

The immune system is the body’s military. It is tasked with being able to recognize pathogenic invaders that have entered the body and eliminate them as quickly as possible.

Cattle may have been domesticated for centuries now, but they remain prey animals and work to keep their secrets. Those masking skills were beneficial thousands of years ago, but they can create herd management challenges today.