Since their father began dairy farming in 1974 with only four cows, the Brophy brothers have grown their herd to 200 milking cows, expanded their forage acreage sixfold, overcome a barn fire in 2002, which decimated their milking herd and main facility, and most recently, sprung back from a severe disease outbreak, which resulted in the death of 42 cows over nine days.

In the heart of Vancouver Island's Alberni Valley, Russell and Jennifer Dyson care for their water buffalo herd at Coleman Meadows Farm. From the bustling milking parlour to the warm welcome of visitors, their passion for farming and advocacy is palpable. The couple share an unwavering dedication to Canadian agriculture, bolstered by their bonds with the unusual creatures helping them fulfill their dairy dreams.

A mysterious disease that pops up suddenly, spreads quickly and strikes with devastating consequences is pretty much every dairy farmer’s worst nightmare. For one ill-fated central Alberta dairy, this nightmare became a grim reality.

Progressive Dairy asked the top herd owners from each province whether they focus on production or management benchmarks. Each dairy producer also gave us an indication of which of the six key performance index benchmarks they focused on in their herd.

With 10% to 35% of cows experiencing mastitis each lactation, grappling with its cost is a reality of milking cows. A Canadian study showed mastitis costs dairy farmers roughly $660 per cow per year, making it the costliest disease of dairy cattle.

Cases began to appear more frequently from 2021 onward, as Chilliwack, British Columbia-based veterinarian John Dick began witnessing more cattle infected with S. Dublin in his clients’ herds, noticing that clinical signs varied markedly from the clinical signs typically present in other salmonella serotypes.

Canadian dairy producers Ben Loewith and J.P. Brouwer share what they do to ensure their farms' sustainability goals are met, all while enhancing farm profitability. 

Three anaerobic digester operators discuss how their systems complement dairies operations and how they up the value of their farms. 

From adversity to innovation: The Mangin Bros Dairy rises stronger after a devastating fire, showcasing resilience, efficiency and cutting-edge technology in dairy farming. Read their inspiring journey of rebuilding and perseverance.