Visit DFO’s new dairy education centre at 100th Royal Fair

Nov 04, 2022

The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (The Royal) opened on Nov. 4 to welcome back thousands of visitors to the largest indoor agricultural event in Toronto, Ont.

The Royal is excited to expand on years of a successful partnership with Dairy Farmers of Ontario to create a brand new immersive dairy education experience for its 100th anniversary. The Dairy Education Centre will occupy 4,000 square feet of exhibit space in the Farm to Table Discovery Zone, featuring a new freestall cow enclosure with live cows, and a custom-built state of the art milkhouse by Norwell Dairy Systems.
Guests can get an up-close view of dairy cow care, dairy calves and the entire milking process. Scheduled milking demonstrations conducted by expert Ontario dairy educators will create an interactive learning experience for all attendees of the Royal this year.

The Royal runs until Nov. 13. Visit royalfair.org for more information.

Source : New Milk

Video: Assessing Welfare Resources During Late Finish - Dr. Anna Johnson & Emma Coursey

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Anna Johnson from Iowa State University and Emma Coursey from the University of Illinois discuss research evaluating welfare resources during the late finishing stage on commercial swine farms. They explain how feeder management, water use, space allocation, and pig health influence welfare outcomes and practical on-farm management. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Small resource issues can become larger welfare problems when multiple stressors interact across finishing barns."

Meet the guests: Dr. Anna Johnson / anna-johnson-05028a14 is the Morrill Professor of Animal Behavior and Welfare at Iowa State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from Texas Tech University and completed her master's degree in Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare at the University of Edinburgh. Her research focuses on practical solutions that improve farm animal welfare, including sow productive lifetime, animal-human interaction, environmental enrichment, and Precision Livestock Farming.

Emma Coursey / emma-coursey-183810241 is pursuing a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine after earning a bachelor's degree in Animal Science from Iowa State University. Her academic interests include swine health, production, and animal welfare, with research experience evaluating welfare resources in commercial finishing pigs.