“Today we have a third of the number of cows we had in 1960, and we’re producing more milk,” said Christine Baes of the University of Guelph during her keynote presentation at the 2024 Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council Annual Meeting. “That’s a pretty good sustainability story, but when you Google ‘sustainability and dairy cows,’ you see headlines about cow flatulence. Why is that?”

The second annual Manitoba Beef and Forage Conference was held on Oct. 31, 2024, in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. Producers heard from industry experts about applying current research to their own operations. Of the various topics shared, here are three top takeaways.

Progressive Dairy Editor Jenn Coyne spoke with Jamie Leifker, president of Truterra, to learn more about industry efforts to support sustainable dairy farming practices and reach goals within the dairy supply chain. 

For the dairy industry, there are lot of climate-smart opportunities. Navigating the decision-making process with lenders, as well as the financial implications at the farm level to ensure these climate-smart practices are cost-effective, are significant when deciding which opportunities make sense for dairy operations.

In Idaho, where farming is a cornerstone of the economy, adopting heat reclaim technology is a strategic move that offers substantial benefits and can revolutionize agricultural practices. In this article, you can learn more about how heat reclaim systems can enhance efficiency, reduce costs and promote sustainability on Idaho farms.