Year Of Volatility For Dairy Farmers

Dairy Farmers of Canada says 2020 was a year of volatility.

 

Vice President David Wiens made the comments during his year-end interview.

 

"It started off back in March, when they first started to close things down," he said. "When that happened, there was this immediate spike in demand, especially for fluid milk right then, and then a couple of weeks later, the demand started to go down and as we learnt, a bit later, was because the food service industry was shutting down as well, particularly restaurants and hotels."

 

Wiens says demand for dairy picked up later in the year.

 

"Over the summer and into fall now we've seen a steady increase in demand. It's been a year of volatility for us, especially earlier on. Back in spring we reduced production very quickly to match the demand and since then we have been increasing our production and of course that all takes a while because with cows, when you reduce production, you can not just immediately, on the spur of the moment, go back to where you were."

Video: Season 6, Episode 10: Defining Resiliency and the Research Driving Swine Health Forward

Genetic research and new technologies continue to influence the future of swine health and production efficiency. In this episode, we explore how research and technology are being used to support stronger, more resilient pigs, while also improving overall production outcomes. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Jenelle Dunkelberger, geneticist with Topigs Norsvin, to discuss both routine and emerging strategies for improving piglet, pig, and sow livability. She outlines two primary approaches to enhancing resiliency: gene editing and traditional selective breeding. Continuing the resiliency conversation, we also hear from Dr. Lucina Galina, director of technical research projects at the Pig Improvement Company. She shares insights into ongoing gene-editing work focused on PRRS, detailing the pathway to success, regulatory and practical considerations, and the questions that still remain as the technology evolves. Together, these conversations provide a closer look at how research, genetics and innovation are shaping the future of swine health and livability.