Skyline Dairy Ltd wins Milk Quality Award

Mar 01, 2023

The Grunthal area dairy owned by David and Charles Wiens was recognized as Grand Champion of the Dairy Farmers of Manitoba’s Milk Quality awards.

The farm is the first robotic dairy in the province to win such high honours and achieved an average somatic cell count (SCC) of under 57,000.

In the spring of 2022 Skyline Dairy upgraded its operation to four DeLaval VMS V300 units moving from the VMS Classic robots they had been using since 2008.

David Wiens says they have a continual focus on the details and improvements needed for the cows, from their diet, to comfort and environment.

Skyline Dairy’s herdsman Doug Priest says building an excellent farm reputation required a multi-pronged approach.

"We began with reducing mastitis treatment, and as that got better, so did our [milk] quality. We also switched our standard operating procedures to include pre-and post-dip rather than just post-dip and saw sustained improvements. Plus, a new bedding system of finer straw helped improve animal health and environment."

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Video: Sweetener Effects on Gut Health - Dr. Kwangwook Kim

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Kwangwook Kim, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, discusses the use of non-nutritive sweeteners in nursery pig diets. He explains how sucralose and neotame influence feed intake, gut health, metabolism, and the frequency of diarrhea compared to antibiotics. The conversation highlights mechanisms beyond palatability, including hormone signaling and nutrient transport. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Receptors responsible for sweet taste are present not only in the mouth but also along the intestinal tract.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Kwangwook Kim / kwangwook-kim is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, specializing in swine nutrition and feed additives under disease challenge models. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of California, Davis, where he focused on intestinal health and metabolic responses in pigs. His research evaluates alternatives to antibiotics, targeting gut health and performance in nursery pigs.